£41 


•BE 


Townshend 

British  Invasion  of 
New  Haven,  Connecticut 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE 


BRITISH   INVASION 


OF 


New  Haven,  Connecticut, 


TOGETHER    WITH    SO.ME    ACCOUNT   OF   THEIR    LANDING 

AND    UURNING    THE    TOWNS    OF    FAIRFIELD 

AND    NORWALK,    JULY,    1779. 


CHARLES     HERVEY     TOWNSHEND. 


1879: 
NEW    HAVEN,    CONN 


THE 


BRITISH   INVASION 


New  Haven,  Connecticut, 


TOGETHER   WITH    SOME   ACCOUNT   OF   THEIR    LANDING 

AND    BURNING   THE   TOWNS   OF   FAIRFIELD 

AND    NORWALK,   JULY,    1779. 


BY 


CHARLES     HERVEY     TOWNSHEND. 


1879: 
NEW    HAVEN,    CONN. 


Copyright,  1878, 
BY  CHARLES  HERVEY  TOWNSHEND. 


NEW   HAVEN : 

TUTTLE,   MOREHOUSE   &   TAYLOR,    PRINTERS. 
l879. 


E 

an 


NEW  HAVEN,  CONN.,  JUNE  26,  1879. 


CHAS.  HERVEY  TOWNSEND,  ESQ. 


Dear  Sir:— We  have  read  with  great  interest  your  recent 
communications  to  the  Morning  Journal  and  Courier  relating  to  the  "  Invasion  of 
New  Haven  by  the  British  forces  in  1779."  They  comprise  a  fuller  account  of 
the  incidents  of  that  event  than  has  yet  appeared  in  print.  For  the  benefit  of 
those  who  are  to  come  after  us,  we  request  you  now  to  collect  and  publish  this 
account  in  a  form  more  accessible  and  permanent  than  the  columns  of  a  daily 
newspaper. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 


HENRY  WHITE, 
JAMES  E.  ENGLISH, 
LEVI  IVES, 
LEONARD  BACON, 
THOMAS  R.  TROWBRIDGE, 
W.  G-.  ANDREWS, 

H.    B.    BlGELOW, 

NOAH  PORTER, 
CHAS.  PETERSON, 
ELI  W.  BLAKE, 


THEODORE  D.  WOOLSEY, 
W.  L.  KINGSLEY, 
N.  D.  SPERRY, 
S.  E.  BALDWIN, 
E.  E.  BEARDSLEY, 
CHAS.  R.  INGERSOLL, 
AMOS  TOWNSEND, 
HORACE  DAY, 
LUCIUS  HOTCHKISS, 
SAMUEL  HEMINGWAY, 


HENRY  Gr.  LEWIS. 


During  the  boyhood  of  the  compiler  it  was  with  the  greatest  delight  that  he 
listened  to  the  traditional  account  of  the  invasion  and  evacuation  of  New  Haven 
by  British  troops,  JuVy,  1779,  as  related  by  old  citizens  ;  and  as  he  grew  older,  he 
began  to  note  down  their  stories,  and  subsequently  to  verify  them.  Without 
realizing  it,  he  found  the  mass  of  material  collected  was  sufficiently  interesting  to 
himself  to  induce  him  to  prepare  the  manuscript  which  from  time  to  time  has 
appeared  (by  request)  in  print.  It  was  his  intention  to  let  it  rest  in  the  files  of  a 
morning  daily  paper,  but  having  been  requested  by  a  number  of  gentlemen  of 
this  city  to  reproduce  the  newspaper  account  in  pamphlet  form  "for  the  benefit 
of  those  who  are  to  come  after  us,"  he  has,  in  compliance  with  their  wishes, 
decided  to  do  so.  He  will  here  say  that  it  makes  no  claim  as  a  literary  produc- 
tion ;  the  sole  object  has  been  to  bring  forward  and  preserve  existing  traditions 
which  are  nearly  all  supported  by  documentary  evidence  obtained  from  official 
sources  (on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic)  relating  to  this  epoch  in  New  Haven's 
history. 

The  brief  time  allowed  for  publication  will,  he  trusts,  be  a  sufficient  excuse  for 
repetitions  and  other  errors. 

C.  H.  T. 

NEW  HAVEN,  JUNE  25,  1879. 


ACTION   TAKEN   BY  NEW   HA.VEN   HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  FOR  CEN- 
TENNIAL  ANNIVERSARY   CELEBRATION,   JULY  4ra,    1879. 

LETTER  FROM  THE  RRV.  DR.  BACON. 

Feb.  10th,  1879. 
To  the  Honorable  the  Mayor,  Aldermen  and   Common   Council  of  the   City  of  New 

Haven. 

Gentlemen — The  fourth  day  of  July  in  the  current  year  will  complete  the  100th 
year  since  the  day  when  New  Haven  was  invaded  by  a  British  arrny  then  rav- 
aging our  coast,  and  by  the  valor  of  the  citizen  defenders  was  saven  from  the 
intended  destruction. 

In  behalf  of  the  committee  representing  the  New  Haven  Colony  Historical 
Society,  I  beg  leave  to  submit  for  your  consideration  the  question  whether  the 
coming  anniversary  of  that  day  might  not  be  observed  with  public  commem- 
.oration. 

If  to  you  it  shall  seem  fit  and  desirable  thus  to  commemorate  the  fifth  of  July, 
1779,  we  respectfully  request  of  your  honorable  body  the  appointment  of  a  com- 
mittee to  confer  with  the  Historical  Society,  or  with  any  other  citizens  concerning 
the  arrangements  for  such  a  celebration. 

The  committee  of  the  Historical  Society  are  Henry  Bronson,  M.  D.,  and  John- 
son T.  Platt  with  the  subscriber,  your  obedient  servant, 

LEONARD  BACON. 

In  response  to  the  communication  the  following  committee  was  appointed  no 
the  subject  by  the  city  government : 

Aldermen  Fuller  and  Greeley,  Councilmen  Merrels,  Doershuck,  Studley,  Mache- 
leidt,  Lum,  Chase  and  O'Connor. 

April  5th  the  following  committee  was  nominated  to  act  with  the  committee  of 
the  Court  of  Common  Council : 


Reception  Committee. 

His  Honor  the  Mayor, 

E.  S.  Greeley, 

Rutherford  Trowbridge, 

T.  R.  Trowbridge,, 

Levi  Ives, 

Henry  Farnam, 

Noah  Porter, 

H.  L.  Hotchkiss, 

S.  R.  Smith, 

N.  D.  Sperry, 

C.  R.  Ingersoll, 

H.  B.  Harrison, 

E.  E.  Beardsley, 

L.  W.  Sperry, 

J.  M.  Bacon, 

H.  G-.  Lewis, 

A.  C.  Hendrick, 

Maier  Zunder, 

Dr.  Bacon, 

T.  A.  Tuttle, 

J.  G.  Healey, 

R.  S.  Ives, 

G.  M.  Harmon, 

G.  H.  Ford, 

Frank  Hooker, 

Chas.  H.  Townsend, 

W.  J.  Atwater, 

Jerome  B.  Lucke, 

J.  D.  Dewell, 

Cyrus  Northrop, 

Fred.  Botsford, 

Patrick  O'Connor. 

Herbert  E.  Benton, 

C.  K. 

Dunn,                           J.  G. 

Phile. 

A  sub-committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  Colonel  John  E.  Earle,  Capt. 
Charles  H.  Townseud,  George  A.  Harmon,  General  S.  R.  Smith,  Chief  A.  C. 
Hendrick,  Rutherford  Trowbridge,  William  J.  Atwater,  and  M.  Frank  Tyler,  was 
appointed  to  prepare  a  plan  for  a  celebration. 

Early  in  June  the  city  government  appropriated  $1,500  to  be  expended  for  the 
celebration,  and  $3,500  additional  was  subscribed  by  citizens. 

Many  meetings  of  the  general  and  sub-committees  followed,  and  the  work 
of  preparation  was  entered  into  with  great  zeal  and  spirit,  and  a  general  public 
interest  was  manifested.  Other  committees  were  appointed. 

The  following  Citizens'  Committee  was  appointed : 

ON  INVITATIONS. — His  Honor  H.  B.  Bigelow,  General  S.  R.  Smith,  Chief  A.  C. 
Hendrick,  Chief  Charles  Webster,  Capt.  Thomas  K.  Dunn,  Charles  E.  Fowler, 
Frederick  Botsford,  Fred.  H.  Waldron,  A.  H.  Hurlburt,  Patrick  O'Connor,  F.  H. 
Hooker,  Capt.  Geo.  M.  Harmon,  Jerome  B.  Lucke,  Herbert  E.  Benton,  William 
Rodman,  Henry  D.  Walker,  Rutherford  Trowbridge,  George  R.  Cooley,  A.  Hea- 
ton  Robertson,  John  P.  Studley,  and  William  A.  Beers. 


ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO. 


As  historians  have  told  us,  the  Colony  of  Connecticut  made 
itself  very  obnoxious  to  the  British,  Hessian  and  Tory  troops 
stationed  in  and  around  the  neighborhood  of  New  York,  by  having 
manufactured  largely  for  the  Continentals  munitions  of  war, 
army  and  navy  supplies,  besides  fitting  out  frequent  expeditions 
by  land  and  water,  causing  great  annoyance  to  the  invaders 
and  their  Tory  sympathizers,  and  seriously  interfering  with  all 
plans  laid  down  by  the  British  Government  and  the  commanding- 
general  of  the  army,  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  Kt.,  who,  in  the  spring  of 
1779,  had  his  headquarters  at  the  city  of  New  York. 

Sir  Henry,  therefore,  considering  the  great  assistance  this 
Colony  had  rendered  to  the  rebellion,  it  having  furnished  more 
troops  than  any  other  except  Massachusetts,  and  as  more  than 
three-fourths  of  its  inhabitants  were  disloyal,  conceived  a  plan  to 
inflict  on  it  a  severe  punishment  as  soon  as  his  successful  expedi- 
tion up  the  Hudson  should  return,  after  it  had  captured  Stony 
Point  and  other  strong  works  held  by  the  Americans  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  below  'West  Point.  He  accordingly  organized 
a  plan  for  a  summer's  campaign  into  Connecticut,  the  approach  to 
be  made  from  New  York  via  East  River  and  Long  Island  Sound. 
The  land  forces  for  this  expedition,  3,000  well  disciplined  and 
perfectly  equipped  troops,  were  placed  under  the  command  of 
Major  General  William  Try  on,  who  was  then  Colonial  Governor 
of  New  York.  They  were  embarked  on  board  a  fleet  just 
returned  from  an  expedition  to  the  Chesapeake  which  had 
been  commanded  by  Commodore  Sir  George  Collier,  Kt.,  who 
was  then  the  senior  officer  on  the  North  American  station  and 
acting  Commander-in-chief  of  all  the  British  naval  forces  in 
American  waters.  The  fleet  was  manned  by  a  crew  of  sailors 
and  marines  estimated  at  2,000  men,  and  was  the  largest 
that  had  ever  entered  Long  Island  Sound.*  The  ships  se- 

*  The  fleet,  afterwards  employed  to  transport  the  British  from  Newport  to  New 
York,  consisting  of  110  sail,  passed  New  Haven  by  daylight,  making  a  fine  display. 
2 


lected  were  of  light  draught,  and  the  largest  was  the  Camilla 
frigate,  Captain  Collins,  on  which  Sir  George  hoisted  his  pennant 
as  flagship.  The  others  were  the  Greyhound,  Captain  Dickson ; 
the  Scorpion,  Captain  -  — ;  and  probably  the  Virginia.  These 
and  other  men-of-war,  with  transports  and  tenders  to  the  number 
of  48  sail,  dropped  down  the  East  river,  passing  Hell  Gate,  to  the 

entrance  of  the  Sound,  and  rendezvoused  off  Whitestone,  where 

'  •   . 

they  were  joined  by  the  commanding  general  and  staff.     About 

the  1st  of  July  they  got  under  way,  with  light  southwest  gales 
and  fine  weather,  and  arrived  off  Huntington,  L.  I.,  July  3.  There 
they  were  joined  by  the  Commodore,  Sir  George,  who  then  made 
known  to  the  expedition  that  New  Haven  was  their  port  of 
debarkation. 

The  sea  and  land  forces  are  estimated  at  5,000  men.  Besides 
the  commanding  officers  already  mentioned  there  we.re  Brigadier- 
General  Garth,  Colonel  William  Fanning,  Colonel  Parker, 
Adjt.  Campbell,  and  two  brothers,  William  and  Thomas  Chandler 
(sons  of  Joshua  Chandler,  of  New  Haven,  barrister-at-law),  the 
last  of  whom  acted  as  guides  to  the  expedition,  the  former  to  the 
west  and  the  latter  to  the  east  division  as  they  marched  on  the 
town.  The  movement  of  this  fleet  was  watched  from  the  north 
shore  while  its  rendezvous  was  at  Whitestone,  and  its  approach 
announced  by  signals  made  from  the  principal  headlands  by  day 
and  beacon  fires  at  night.  It  was  hardly  known  to  the  people 
of  New  Haven  that  their  town  was  the  enemy's  destination  (it 
having  been  rumored  that  a  fleet  was  preparing  for  the  eastward, 
and  Newport  or  New  London  were  supposed  to  be  its  first  place  of 
rendezvous)  until  they  had  passed  Stratford  and  nearly  reached 
our  harbor,  which  was  late  on  the  evening  of  July  4th. 

That  night  about  10  o'clock,  the  signal  gun  aroused  the  people  of 
this  neighborhood,  and  about  midnight  the  whole  fleet  was  at 
anchor,  the  large  ships  about  one  mile  southwest  of  the  reef  of  rocks 
known  as  Southwest  Ledge,  on  which  the  new  light-house  now 
stands.  The  small  vessels  came  into  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  and 
at  5  o'clock,  July  5th  (which  was  at  about  high  tide),  the  First 
division  of  1,500  men  and  four  field  pieces  had  landed  at  Savin 
Rock,  under  the  protection  of  the  guns  of  the  small  vessels  and 
galleys,  which  had  come  well  into  the  harbor.  This  division  of 
1,500  perfectly  disciplined  and  equipped  troops,  the  flower  of  the 
expedition,  was  under  the  command  of  Brig. -Gen.  Garth,  and  con- 
sisted of  the  flank  companies  of  the  Guards,  the  Fiisileers,  the 


Fifty-fourth  regiment,  and  a  detachment  of  the  Yagers,  and  it  im- 
mediately marched  to  West  Haven  Green,  where  they  seemed  to 
have  arrived  without  much  annoyance  or  delay.  We  will  turn  our 
attention  to  the  fleet  at  anchor  in  the  offing  with  the  Second  division, 
which,  on  return  of  the  boats  after  landing  the  First  division, 
entered  the  boats  at  about  8  P.  M.,  and  were  pulling  for  the  shore 
with  their  commander,  General  Tryon.  This  body,  of  about 
1,500  men,  was  composed  of  the  Twenty-third  regiment,  the  Hes- 
sian Landgrave,  King's  American  regiment,  and  two  pieces 
of  cannon.  An  eye-witness  mentions  standing  on  the  site  at 
Morris  Point,  where  the  old  light-house  stands,  and  thus  describes 
the  imposing  scene :  "  Before,  looking  seaward,  were  the  broad 
waters  of  Long  Island  Sound,  and  north  and  westward  New 
Haven's  beautiful  bay,  both  studded  with  the  ships  of  the  enemy's 
fleet,  the  shore  fringed  with  summer  green  forest  and  meadow, 
and  in  the  back-ground  the  '  Old  Sentinels,'  the  '  Red  Mounts ' 
(East  and  West  Rocks),  standing  forth  in  bold  relief,  seeming  to 
say,  '  Thus  far  arid  no  farther  shalt  thou  come,  for  all  before  us  is 
under  our  care.  One  step  farther  and  we  will  arouse  the  "  Sleep- 
ing Giant"  (Mt.  Carmel),  who  will  dash  thee  back  from  whence 
thou  earnest ;  leave  us  in  peace  is  all  we  ask.' " 

As  soon  as  the  boats  got  within  range,  the  field  piece,  which  a 
company  of  East  Haven  patriots  had  hauled  to  the  beach  at 
Morris  Point  and  masked,  opened  fire,  and  when  half  a  mile 
distant  the  line  of  boats  divided,  one  division  putting  into  Morris 
Cove;  but  on  account  of  the  well-served  battery  of  three  guns 
on  Black  Rock  they  were  compelled  to  land  near  where  the  Grove 
House  wharf  is  built.  The  other  landed  on  the  beach  east  of  the 
outer  rocky  point,  and  as  it  landed  an  officer  hailed  the  shore, 
saying,  "Disperse,  ye  rebels,"  and  the  next  moment  fell  back  into 
the  boat,  dead,  from  the  fire  of  this  detachment,  who  were  armed 
with  rifles.  This  was  the  first  of  the  enemy  killed  on  the  east 
shore,  and  it  was  probably  Ensign  and  Adjutant  Walkins  of  the 
King's  American  regiment,  which  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
Edmund  Fanning,  a  graduate  of  Yale  College  and  son-in-law  of 
Major  General  Tryon.  The  influence  of  this  officer,  it  is  said,  con- 
tributed to  save  the  town  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day  from  being 
consigned  to  the  flames. 

It  is  probable  that  the  firing  on  this  division  while  landing, 
by  the  small  company  of  the  patriots,  consisting  of  not  more 
than  fifty  men,  was  the  occasion  of  the  wholesale  destruction  of 


the  houses  and  barns  and  fields  of  grain,  with  one  or  two  excep- 
tions, on  the  road  leading  from  Morris  Point  to  both  ferries. 
This  company  was  probably  under  the  direction  of  Captain  Josiah 
Bradley  and  Captain  Amos  Morris,  the  owner  of  the  Morris 
estate,  and  said  to  be  a  near  relative  of  the  Morrises  of  Morrisana, 
in  Westchester  county,  New  York.  His  commission,  which  he 
had  probably  resigned,  as  captain  of  the  3d  company  of  Train 
band  of  New  Haven,  still  in  the  possession  of  the  family,  bears 
date  Oct.  31st,  1748,  signed  by  Thomas  Fitch,  Esq.,  general  and 
commander-in-chief  of  His  Majesty's  Colony  of  Connecticut,  and 
witnessed  by  his  secretary,  George  Wyllys.  His  son,  Thomas 
Morris,  was  town  clerk  of  East  Haven. 

Before  proceeding  farther  with  the  second  division,  an  outline 
description  of  the  topography  of  the  west  part  of  East  Haven 
town  and  a  description  of  some  of  its  roads,  as  they  then  existed, 
may  be  useful  as  a  guide  to  follow  the  invaders  on  their  march. 

The  patriots  fell  back  on  their  main  body,  who  were  entrenched 
on  Beacon  Hill  (now  the  site  of  Fort  Wooster),  but  were  driven 
out  after  considerable  slaughter  of  the  enemy,  and  made  a  final 
stand  on  the  Heights,  east  of  Fair  Haven,  Foxon  and  Saltonstall 
mountains,  with  outposts  on  East  Haven  green. 

The  main  body,  after  forming  on  the  beach  and  thi-owing  out 
skirmishers,  one  party  going  along  the  Fowler  Creek  meadows, 
east  side,  and  the  other  along  the  beach,  protected  by  a  section  of 
marines  and  sailors  in  boats  in  Morris  Cove,  took  up  its  march. 
The  road  led  from  the  town  of  New  Haven  over  the  bridge 
across  Mill  river  to  the  Neck,  which  bore  at  the  time  and  lias  ever 
since,  the  name  "  Neck  Bridge,"  and  is  noted  as  being  the  place 
where  Goffe  and  Whalley,  the  Regicide  Judges,  concealed  them- 
selves by  standing  under  it,  in  water  chin  deep,  while  the 
officers  sent  by  Charles  II.  to  arrest  them  rode  over  the  bridge. 
This  road  forked  to  the  south-east,  meeting  the  river  at  Pardee 
Ferry,  near  the  present  west  end  of  Quinnipiac  bridge.  The 
other  fork  of  the  road  followed  along  the  foot  of  East  Rock,  across 
Lewis'  bridge  and  meadows,  eastward  toward  Middletown  and 
Connecticut  river,  branching  southward  through  the  Davenport 
Farm  and  east  of  Fair  Haven  Heights  until  it  came  to  the  resi- 
dence of  the  late  George  Landcraft,  Avhere  a  short  path  joined  the 
Pardee  Ferry,  east  side,  at  Red  Rock.  It  then  went  south- 
ward from  Landcraft's,  by  a  circuitous  route,  past  Mr.  Roswell 
Landcraft's  to  Woodwardtown,  then  forking  eastward  to  East 


9 

Haven  Center,  and  southward  to  Morris  Cove  and  Fowler  Creek. 
There  were  two  roads  leading  from  Woodwardtown  to  the  two 
ferries,  both  of  which  were  in  continual -use  during  the  evening's 
sojourn  of  the  troops  in  this  vicinity.  The  lower  ferry  crossing 
from  Stable  Point  a  few  rods  north  of  the  east  end  of  Tomlinson's 
Bridge,  connected  with  a  street  from  the  town  through  the  Oyster 
Shell  Fields,  to  about  the  head  of  Bridge  street.  On  this  site  was 
a  bluff  with  trees  on  it  similar  to  the  cedars  below  Hallock  Place. 
On  this  bluff  was  an  earthwork,  armed  with  guns  taken  from  a 
vessel  that  had  been  hauled  up  the  Mill  and  Quinnipiac  rivers  out 
of  harm's  way.  The  earthwork  with  those  on  Beacon  Hill  and  at 
the  West  river  and  Black  Rock  Fort,  poorly  manned,  were  the 
only  obstacles  that  this  powerful  land  and  sea  force  had  to  oppose 
them.  I  will  here  add  that  the  shores  of  the  town  at  this  date 
faced  the  harbor  and  Mill  river,  with  bluffs  from  Neck  Bridge  to 
the  Dyke,  the  other  side  of  which  was  Mt.  Pleasant,  quite  an 
important  rise  within  the  memory  of  the  writer.  Here  and  there 
was  a  gully,  letting  off  the  surface  water  which  had  collected  on 
the  plateau  east  of  the  town,  and  from  parts  not  drained  by  the 
two  creeks. 

As  the  advance  guard  of  this  division  approached  the  Morris 
mansion,  it  is  probable  that  they  were  frequently  fired  upon,  and 
this  grand  old  manor  house,  built  of  stone  (but  now  sheathed 
with  pine),  was  consigned  to  the  flames,  as  well  as  all  barns  and 
outbuildings  and  several  fields  of  grain ;  also  the  cattle  and  other 
animals  were  slaughtered  and  sent  on  board  the  fleet  as  rations  for 
the  crews.  Captain  Morris  and  some  friends  barely  escaped  cap- 
ture, and  in  less  than  one  hour  nothing  remained  but  the  black 
walls  and  towering  chimneys  of  one  of  Connecticut's  finest  man- 
sions. The  march  from  the  Point  to  the  Palisades  opposite  the 
residence  of  the  late  Admiral  Gregory's  family  was  very  rapid, 
and  three  houses  belonging  to  the  Pardees,  and  one  to  a  brother 
of  Captain  Morris,  were  destroyed.  One  of  the  Pardee  houses, 
(Jacob  Pardee's,  father  of  Capt.  Chandler  Pardee),  was  held,  how- 
ever, for  a  short  time  as  Tryon's  headquarters.  General  Tryon  ,it 
appears,  landed  here,  and  from  the  top  of  the  Palisades  he  prob- 
ably directed  the  storming  of  the  Rock  Fort,  which  resulted  in  the 
slaughter  of  several  of  its  brave  defenders,  besides  numbers  of  the 
enemy,  while  the  captain  and  others  were  made  prisoners  of  war 
and  carried  away  on  the  fleet.  Among  them  were  Joseph  Tuttle 
and  son,  whose  house,  which  stood  on  the  west  side  of  the  road  a 


10 

few  rods  north  of  the  Townsend  house,  was  at  that  moment  in 
flames. 

The  enemy  did  not  get  possession  of  the  Rock  Fort  until  its 
brave  defenders  had  expended  all  their  ammunition.  The  brave 
patriots  then  spiked  and  dismounted  the  guns,  and  those  that  were 
able  when  the  landing  party  took  possession  retreated  along  the 
beach  northward,  but  were  captured  when  not  far  distant  by  the 
skirmishers.  The  advance  guard  of  the  main  body  had  by  this 
time  arrived  at  about  the  site  of  the  residence  of  the  Hon.  Charles 
L.  Mitchell,  and  were  marching  in  columns  at  a  double  quick,  with 
fixed  bayonets,  drums  beating  and  colors  flying,  carrying  all 
before  them  like  the  whirlwind. 

Mr.  Joseph  Pardee's  home  was  now  a  smoking  mass  of  ruins. 
The  family  had  barely  time  to  throw  into  an  ox  cart  valuables 
which  they  buried  in  Bridge  swamp,  a  few  rods  north-east  of 
Jeddy  Andrews'  house.  The  enemy  destroyed  everything  there, 
and  several  of  them  had  bit  the  dust  and  were  buried  in  the  thick 
woods  just  off  the  road.  Our  troops  were  forced  back,  step  by 
step,  but  were  being  now  largely  reinforced  from  North  Haven, 
Hamden,  Cheshire  and  Wallingford.  Some  of  the  East  Haven 
patriots  had  fallen  back  on  the  road  east  of  Prospect  Hill ;  others 
remained  with  the  main  body,  fighting  and  disputing  every  inch 
of  the  way  and  keeping  up  a  galling  fire  upon  the  British  from 
bushes  and  hedges  in  front  and  flank;  and  from  this  point  was  a 
continual  slaughter,  until  the  earthworks  on  Beacon  Hill  were 

~  * 

carried.  They  had  now  reached  a  more  open  country  than  the 
Morris  and  Gregson  grants  just  passed  over,  and  were  on  the 
Tuttle  grant,  which  had  its  northern  boundary  at  the  second  ferry 
at  Red  Rock. 

The  tide  having  turned  flood,  during  the  afternoon  and  toward 
high  water  Sir  George  detailed  a  squadron  of  light  draught  ves- 
sels, galleys  and  fleet  boats  to  assist  the  land  force  on  the  east 
side,  who  seem  to  have  met  with  a  check.  Leaving  the  "Camilla" 
and  fleet  in  charge  of  Captain  Collins,  and  taking  command  of 
this  squadron  in  person,  the  Commodore  sailed  up  the  bay,  anchor- 
ing his  vessels  according  to  their  draught,  the  last  one,  a  gun  boat, 
athwart  the  first  ferry  opposite  the  earthworks  on  the  bluff'  (now 
Bridge  street),  which  was  then  occupied  by  His  Majesty's  troops 
as  well  as  the  Pier,  now  a  part  of  Union  or  Long  Wharf. 

The  condition  of  affairs  in  the  harbor  at  2  o'clock  was  about 
this :  A  line  of  the  enemy's  ships  lay  anchored  the  whole  length 


11 

of  the  bay,  with  springs  on  their  cables  and  guns  run  out  on  both 
sides  ready  to  belch  forth  fire  and  destruction  as  soon  as  the 
expected  order  should  be  given  to  fire  the  town. 

I  have  often  heard  described  the  appearance  of  this  divis- 
ion marching  in  column  (on  the  road  since  named  Townsend 
avenue)  by  those  whose  fathers  were  eye-witnesses  of  the 
scene.  On  each  side  of  the  road,  two  rods  wide,  was  fencing, 
composed  of  bushes,  stone,  and,  in  some  instances  a  Virginia 
fence.  The  patriot  fojces  were  about  equally  divided,  some  in  the 
road,  and  some  in  the  fields,  keeping  back  the  skirmishers,  and 
getting  an  occasional  volley  into  the  advance  guard,  always  with 
effect. 

There  were  also  two  field  pieces  in  the  street,  which  would  open 
a  raking  fire,  and  then  be  rapidly  hauled  back  by  the  brave 
patriots  and  then  moved  to  a  new  position,  each  shot  making  a 
swath  through  the  ranks  of  the  invaders.  On  the  left,  and  just 
north  of  the  Townsend  house,  stood  the  quiet  home  of  Mr. 
Joseph  Tuttle,  surrounded  with  gardens,  orchards  and  meadow, 
and  his  golden  field  of  grain,  just  ripe  for  the  harvest,  but  not  yet 
cut.  Before,  looking  westward,  a  landscape  of  remarkable  and 
diversified  beauty,  and  at  the  time  said  to  be  second  to  none  in 
New  England  ;  the  pointed  spires  of  the  "old"  churches  (Trinity 
and  Red  Brick),  with  Yale  College  just  peeping  through  the  trees, 
marking  the  spot  of  future  wealth  and  increasing  knowledge.  To 
the  north-east,  Beacon  Hill,  then  often  called  Grave  and  Tuttle 
Hill,  on  which  was  marshalled  the  flower  of  New  Haven's  yeo- 
manry. Eastward,  and  directly  back  of  the  Townsend  house,  is 
Prospect  Hill,  on  which  next  day,  when  the  enemy  were  retiring 
to  their  ships,  one  of  the  signal  corps  was  stationed  (by  the  chief- 
tain's grave,  a  red  sandstone  boulder),  out  of  whose  number  the 
commander  and  two  of  his  men  (whose  remains  were  buried  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill)  were  picked  off  by  Captain  Jedediah  Andrews  and 
some  of  his  neighbors.  Andrews  and  party  had  crawled  up  in  a 
•louse  fog  then  prevailing,  under  cover  of  the  hedges  and  bushes, 
and  picked  off  their  men  with  their  Queen  Anne  arms,  or  long 
ducking  guns,  while  the  party  was  cooking  a  sheep  for  breakfast. 
Evergreens,  o'errun  with  bittersweet  and  greenbrier,  now  mark 
the  spot. 

Mr.  Joseph  Tnttle,  before  mentioned,  had  gone  forth  the  morn- 
ing of  the  5th,  with  his  eldest  son,  then  a  lad  of  1  7,  to  meet  the 
invader  and  fight  for  his  home  and  fireside.  They  were  of  the 


tt 

little  garrison  of  19  men  under  the  command  (supposed)  of  Capt. 
Moulthrop  in  the  Rock  Fort,  and  were  among  the  number  cap- 
tured and  carried  away  by  the  fleet  to  New  York.  His  wile  with 
six  children  (one  an  infant)  yoked  the  oxen,  threw  a  few  useful 
things  into  the  cart,  buried  the  silver  plate  in  an  iron  pot  among 
some  weeds  in  the  garden,  and  went  to  the  north  part  of  the 
town,  looking  behind  at  their  home  in  flames.  They  were  the 
parents  of  the  Rev.  Timothy  Tuttle,  of  Ledyard,  Connecticut,  a 
graduate  of  Yale  College. 

The  enemy  had  now  nearly  i-eached  the  object  of  their  march, 
but  here  met  with  a  severe  check.  To  the  north-east  of  the  Tuttle 
house,  on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  the  Hon.  A.  L.  Fabrique, 
was  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  toward  the  road  a  brush  hedge.  Some 
40  of  the  patriots  masked  themselves  behind  this  hedge.  Below, 
our  troops  were  hard  pressed,  as  the  enemy's  cannon  were  better 
served,  and  it  was  decided  to  make  one  more  stand,  fire  and  fall 
back  up  the  road  to  the  entrenchment  on  Beacon  Hill  where  they 
had  sent  their  cannon.  As  the  enemy  followed,  the  party  behind 
the  fence  were  to  welcome  them  with  a  shower  of  leaden  hail  and 
then  fall  back  to  the  hill. 

The  stand  was  made  when  the  enemy  were  about  half  way 
•s  between  the  site  of  the  Mitchell  and  Townsend  houses.  The 
order  was  given  to  fire,  which  was  accomplished  with  consider- 
able effect.  A  general  stampede  was  then  started  as  agreed  upon, 
but  Mr.  Adam  Thorp,  of  Cheshire,  did  not  believe  in  running. 
So  when  he  had  reached  about  the  site  of  the  north  gate  at  Town- 
send  house,  he  turned  and  declared  he  would  not  run  another  step 
for  all  Great  Britain,  loaded  and  fired  his  piece  and  soon  fell 
pierced  with -many  bullets.  He  was  the  first  man  of  the  patriots, 
killed  on  the  east  side,  that  we  have  any  record  of,  and  his 
grave  was  marked  with  a  stone  bearing  this  inscription,  "  Here 
fell  Adam  Thorp,  July  5th,  I'Z'ZQ."  I  will  here  diverge  by  saying 
— Honor  our  illustrious  and  patriotic  dead  with  suitable  monu- 
ments, as  England  always  has  done.  No  stone  now  marks  the<  spot 
where  this  brave  man  was  buried. 

This  check  brought  the  whole  division  to  a  halt,  and  after 
the  smoke  had  cleared  the  scene,  and  the  rebels  were  found 
to  be  actually  retreating  toward  the  hill,  the  division  again 
advanced  at  the  double  quick  and  the  advance  guard  had 
quite  passed  the  party  of  patriots  in  the  bushes,  when  Capt. 
Bradley  said  to  them,  "  Wait  until  you  can  see  their  eyes 


13 

and  then  fire  and  run,"  which  was  done  with  tremendous 
effect.  The  street  was  strewn  with  killed  and  wounded.  The 
Tuttle  house,  barns  and  outhouses  and  fields  of  waving  grain 
were  all  fired  at  once.  The  booming  guns  from  the  ships  in 
the  bay,  the  awful  heat  and  great  excitement  of  the  day  must 
have  suggested  to  the  invaders  that  direful  place  which  the 
good  Dr.  Dodd  taught  the  existence  of,  to  the  descendants  of 
these  brave  patriots. 

The  small  party  that  fell  back  to  the  hill  and  were  pursued  by 
the  British  in  hot  haste,  had  lost  one  of  their  field  pieces,  but  the 
other  was  now  opened  upon  the  enemy  from  that  point  and  was 
served  with  good  effect,  causing  them  to  halt  under  the  depres- 
sion of  the  hill  out  of  range,  at  a  spot  a  few  rods  north  of  the 
new  residence  of  Mr.  H.  H.  Benedict  and  that  of  E.  J.  Upson, 
Esq.  There,  lying  flat  on  the  ground  and  out  of  harm's  way, 
they  rested,  waiting  for  reinforcements,  which  having  come  up, 
the  hill  was  stormed,  the  patriots  falling  back,  some  northward 
towards  the  Ferry,  others  to  the  heights  about  Saltonstall,  and 
another  party,  of  which  Chandler  Pardee  was  one,  toward  the 
fresh  meadow,  where  Mr.  Pardee  was  shot  through  the  lungs  by 
a  ball  from  the  party  in  pursuit  and  left  for  dead.  Soon  after,  he 
was  taken  to  the  Gov.  Saltonstall  house,  and  the  next  day  Dr. 
Hubbard,  of  New  Haven,  extracted  the  ball  and  he  recovered  to 
tell  the  story,  while  a  prisoner  at  New  York,  to  the  same  party  of 
soldiers,  who  had  left  him,  as  they  had  supposed,  dying  on  the 
field.  Near  the  spot  where  Chandler  Pardee  fell,  just  north  of 
the  road,  and  west  of  Tuttle  Brook,  lived  Samuel  Tuttle,  father 
of  the  late  Frederick  William  Tuttle,  Esq.,  a  lineal  descendant 
of  William  Tuttle,  the  original  grantee,  who  was  of  the  family 
of  Tuttle,  or  Tuthill,  which  gave  several  Lord  Mayors  to  the 
City  of  Exeter,  County  Devon,  England.  Mr.  Tuttle  had  with 
his  neighbors  in  the  morning  marched  to  meet  the  foe,  but  being 
satisfied  the  day  was  lost  returned  home  and  started  with  a  cart 
load  of  household  effects  for  the  quarry  east  of  the  upper  ferry, 
where  lived  an  Englishman,  William  Day,  who  had  lately  married 
Abigail  Woodward,  grand-niece  of  Rev.  John  Woodward,  who 
on  his  coming  here  purchased  600  acres  of  the  Tuttle  grant  and 
was  ancestor  of  the  Woodwards,  of  Woodwardtown. 

While  Messrs.  Tuttle  and  Day  were  storing  away  their  goods 
in  the  quarry  the  Chandler  Pardee  party  and  their  pursuers 
passed  near  his  house,  which  was  set  on  fire.  Mrs.  T.  rushed  out 
3 


14 

with  her  children  into  the  uncut  grass  and  rested  there.  Some 
one  called  out  to  her  to  look  out,  and  she  saw  the  regulars 
aiming  their  muskets.  She  called  to  the  children  to  lie  down  in 
the  grass  and  say  their  prayers  as  they  had  but  one  minute  to 
live,  and  the  next  moment  the  whole  volley  went  over  their 
heads.  The  pursuers  passed  on  but  lost  their  game,  and  the 
neighbors  put  the  fire  out  with  water  from  the  brook.  This 
party  seems  to  have  made  the  circuit  of  the  peat  meadow,  and 
coming  back  found  Day  and  Tuttle  and  made  them  prisoners. 
Their  cattle  were  afterward  slaughtered.  Day  made  his  escape 
by  showing  them  the  spring  of  water  in  the  rear  of  Mr.  W.  S. 
Landcraft's  house,  one  of  them  saying  to  him,  "  When  I'm 
drinking  I  cannot  see  all  that  passes."  Tuttle  was  carried  to 
New  York  where  he  was  detained  six  months.  Immediately  on 
occupying  Beacon  Hill,  Gen.  Tryon  made  it  his  headquarters  and 
sent  a  detachment  to  occupy  the  village  of  East  Haven,  but  the 
enemy's  advance  got  only  as  far  as  the  "Stone  Meeting  House," 
which  they  ransacked  for  plate  and  then  fell  back  to  the  knoll 
west  of  the  church,  near  the  present  residence  ol  Edward  Granniss, 
Esq.  From  the  knoll,  shots  were  constantly  exchanged  between 
the  patriots  and  the  British,  and  when  the  old  Bradley  House 
was  pulled  down,  many  bullet-holes  were  found  in  its  timbers, 
thus  serving  to  sustain  the  tradition.  As  Gen.  Tryon  in  his 
dispatch  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton  mentions  meeting  Garth  in  town 
during  the  afternoon,  it  is  probable  he  met  there  also  Sir  George 
Collier,  when  a  council  of  war  was  called  which  resulted  in  a 
speedy  and  immediate  evacuation. 

Besides  occupying  the  western  outskirts  of  East  Haven  village, 
one  detachment  was  sent  to  Ferry  Hill,  another  to  the  hill  north 
of  Captain  Stephen  Thompson's,  and  here  in  the  evening  was 
roasted  an  ox  which  was  distributed  to  the  soldiers  of  the  several 
corps ;  also  forty  head  of  cattle  which  had  been  driven  in  by 
the  foraging  expedition,  and  sheep,  pigs  and  poultry  in  great 
numbers,  were  slaughtered  and  sent  on  board  of  the  fleet. 

The  field  piece  used  on  Beacon  Hill  was  brought  here  on  the 
retreat  and  fired  a  number  of  times,  but  at  last  abandoned, 
spiked  and  rolled  down  the  hill  into  the  bushes  near  Mr.  Koswell 
Landcraft's  house,  where  it  was  found  and  sent  on  board  the  fleet. 
After  the  enemy  had  left,  Mr.  Isaac  Pardee  took  from  this  hill 
many  sheep  and  cattle  skins  and  tanned  them.  While  widening 
Townsend  Avenue,  June,  lS7o,  a  tradition  of  the  slaughter  of  the 


15 

enemy  near  the  Tuttle  house  was  well  sustained  by  the  discovery 
of  human  bones  found  while  moving  stumps  of  trees  planted  by 
the  late  William  Kneeland  Townsend,  Esq.,  forty  years  before. 
These  bones  were  proved  not  to  be  Indian  by  Dr.  T.  Beers 
Townsend,  who  was  on  the  spot  when  the  graves  were  opened, 
and  he  made  a  most  careful  examination.  These  dead  were  all 
probably  buried  in  the  ryelands,  on  the  west  side  of  the  road  and 
just  north  of  the  Tuttle  mansion,  and  the  spot  being  burned  over, 
the  locality  of  the  graves  was  not  discovered ;  and  as  many 
wounded  soldiers  were  seen  taken  to  the  boat  and  carried  on 
board  the  fleet,  it  was  supposed  that  the  dead  were  also  removed 
in  order  to  hide  their  great  loss.  While  the  doctor  was  making 
a  careful  examination  of  the  bones,  the  writer,  with  a  spade, 
thoroughly  searched  the  graves,  and  besides  bones  found  a 
number  of  German  silver  buttons,  and  some  of  lead  and  com- 
position (white  metal),  about  the  size  of  a  dime.  A  copper  coin 
was  also  found,  which  has  excited  much  interest.  It  was  the  size 
of  an  English  half-penny  and  known  as  a  stiver.  It  had  a  hole  in 
the  circumference  and  was  probably  held  by  means  of  a  string 
attached  to  the  neck  of  the  wearer.  On  the  face  side  is  the 
following  motto:  "Dominus  Auxit  Nomen"  ("the  Lord  increased 
our  glory  ") ;  in  its  center  the  figure  of  a  man  with  a  mantle  about 
his  loins,  in  a  sitting  position,  left  hand  on  his  hip  and  in  his  right 
hand  a  sword  drawn  over  the  head  as  if  to  strike ;  to  the  right  a 
laurel  branch.  The  figure  is  represented  sitting  inside  a  circular 
fence  with  gate  in  front.  The  other  side  is  a  laurel  wreath  with 
the  word  in  center,  "  HOLLANLIA."  The  date  looks  beaten 
out  as  with  a  hammer;  but  Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  of  Yale 
College,  who  has  kindly  looked  the  matter  up  for  me,  being  an 
expert  and  the  best  authority,  says  this  coin  was  struck  off 
between  the  years  1648  and  1795  in  Holland,  a  province  (sic)  of 
the  Netherlands.  A  pompon  socket  of  brass,  bell  shaped,  was 
also  found.  It  had  also  upon  it  a  No.  8  or  5,  with  the  following 
letters,  D.  M.  A.  U.  X.,  as  traced  by  Dr.  E.'s  powerful  micro- 
scope. The  above  relics  satisfy  me  that  these  were  the  graves 
of  soldiers  belonging  to  Tryon's  division,  killed  while  marching 
on  the  town  of  New  Haven.* 

i 

*  The  writer,  during  a  visit  to  Europe,  substantiated  this  impression  fully,  dis- 
covering and  obtaining  in  an  old  print  store  in  Paris  some  colored  engravings  of 
the  uniforms  worn  by  the  Hessian  Landgraves,  a  regiment  of  which  WHS  a 
part  of  the  Second  division  of  Tryon's  army,  which  participated  in  the  different 
engagements  on  East  Haven  shore. 


16 

Immediately  on  the  capture  of  Beacon  Hill,  General  Tryon 
crossed  over  the  lower  ferry  to  the  town,  where  he  met  in  council 
of  war  Sir  George  Collier  and  General  Garth  and  other  officers 
of  the  expedition.  At  the  same  time  a  detachment  of  his 
division  marched  through  Woodwardtown  for  both  ferries  and 
encamped  on  the  Neck  and  opened  communication  with  the  town. 

On  their  line  of  march,  the  dwelling  houses  of  John  Wood- 
ward, Sen.,  and  John  Woodward,  Ji\,  were  burned.  The  former 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  Woodward  mansion ;  the  latter 
of  stone,  sheathed  with  pine,  is  now  part  of  the  residence  of 
Collis  Granniss,  Esq.  All  cattle,  sheep,  swine  and  poultry,  and 
everything  else  of  value,  was  appropriated  by  the  enemy  and 
carried  off.  The  next  places  destroyed  were  the  residences  of 
Jehiel  Forbes  and  Mr.  Tuttle  at  Waterside.  Mr.  Hughes'  house 
was  left  standing,  being  used  as  officers'  quarters.  The  house  was 
taken  down  shortly  after  the  war  and  a  portion  of  the  frame  used 
in  the  construction  of  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Henry 
Burr  (his  wife  being  a  granddaughter  of  Mr.  Hughes),  for  many 
years  agent  of  the  New  Haven,  Hartford  and  Springfield  Rail- 
road Company  at  Meriden,  Conn.  I  cannot  allow  his  name  to 
pass  without  more  than  ordinary  mention.  One  of  "Nature's 
noblemen,"  he  at  the  first  roar  of  the  guns  of  the  late  great 
rebellion  left  his  lucrative  occupation  and  threw  aside  the  com- 
forts of  home,  family  and  friends,  and  marched  forth  to  defend 
his  country's  flag,  her  constitution  and  laws,  and  after  weary 
marches  and  many  battles  we  find  him  wounded  on  the  battle- 
field of  Antietam,  where  he  had  lain  for  hours  among  the  dead. 
After  the  amputation  of  one  of  his  limbs  he  remained  for  months 
in  the  hospital,  returning  to  his  home  crippled  in  his  country's 
service,  but  with  the  same  honest  name  and  reputation  that  he 
had  always  borne.  Pensioned,  'tis  true,  but  on  a  paltry  pittance ; 
small  compensation  for  all  his  sacrifice.  Having  destroyed  the 
Tuttle  and  Forbes  places  and  the  new  house  just  built  by  Mr.  Elam 
Ludington,  at  Waterside,  this  detachment  either  fell  back  on  Ferry 
Hill  or  crossed  over  by  the  lower,  or  Hughes  ferry,  on  the  Neck 
and  joined  the  other  which  had  crossed  at  the  upper,  leaving  only 
a  corporal's  guard  at  this  ferry.  After  the  war  Mr.  Forbes,  with 
the  energy  of  his  race,  restored  this  beautiful  residence,  which  is 
to-day  the  finest  stone  house  in  the  town,  showing  not  only  the 
excellent  taste  of  the  builder,  but  the  good  quality  of  its  mate- 
rial. Its  date  is  1767.  There  was  one  other  bouse  not  destroyed 


17 

besides  the  Hughes  house,  which  stood  near  the  upper  ferry,  and 
belonged  to  Mr.  Pardee,  the  ferryman,*  and  was  for  many  years 
the  residence  of  William  B.  Goodyear,  Esq..  of  this  city,  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Gov.  Stephen  Goodyear  of  the  New  Haven  Colony, 
and  who,  a  short  time  since,  erected  a  beautiful  monument  in 
Centerville  Cemetery  to  the  memory  of  this  honored  Deputy 
Governor  of  the  old  Colony.  This  Gov.  Goodyear  was  the  first 
in  New  Haven  to  offer  material  aid — tendering  his  house  for  the 
purpose — for  a  college,  and  a  vote  of  thanks  for  the  same  appears 
in  the  old  town  records  of  Guilford. 

The  council  of  war  was  probably  held  in  the  old  State  House, 
which  stood  near  the  site  of  Trinity  Church.  Of  this  council 
were,  Sir  George  Collier,  Kt.,  Maj.  Gen.  Tryon,  Brig.  Gen.  Garth, 
and  other  officers  of  the  British  army  and  navy,  and  probably 
several  loyal  gentlemen  of  the  town,  whose  earnest  petitions,  with 
Col.  Fanning's  efforts,  saved  a  conflagration.  After  the  council 
was  over  the  principal  officers  made  a  tour  of  inspection  of  the 
place,  and  it  is  said  that  from  the  top  of  the  old  Admiral  Foote 
house,  corner  of  Temple  and  Chapel  streets,  a  bird's-eye  view  was 
taken;  the  officers  being  exceedingly  delighted  with  the  beautiful 
surroundings,  and  Gen.  Garth  made  the  remark,  "  'Tis  too  pretty 
a  place  to  burn."  The  abusive  and  cruel  treatment  of  the 
inhabitants,  the  wanton  and  malicious  destruction  of  property 
that  could  not  be  carried  away,  sufficiently  proves  that  it  was  not 
owing  to  good  will  that  the  town  was  saved.  It  is  not  the  writer's 
intention  to  enlarge  on  the  depredations  of  the  drunken  and  hos- 
tile soldiery,  but  I  will  here  recite  an  incident  which  will  illustrate 
how  the  towns-people,  after  being  turned  over  to  the  soldiery, 
were  treated.  Capt.  Abraham  Bradley  and  wife,  Amy  Heming- 
way, resided  on  the  corner  of  State  and  Chapel  streets.  The 
remains  of  Mrs.  Bradley  lie  in  the  beautiful  crypt  under  Center 
Church  recently  opened  through  the  public  spirit  and  most  efficient 
aid  of  Thomas  11.  Trowbridge,  Jr.,  Esq.  This  lady  was  sister  of 
Mary  Hemingway,  wife  of  Ezekiel  Hayes,  Esq.,  great  uncle  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  The  captain  had  been  out  all  the 
morning  trying  to  prevent  the  enemy  getting  into  the  town,  and 
had  returned,  hid  his  musket  and  become  a  quiet  citizen,  deciding 
to  keep  in  the  house  the  rest  of  the  day.  Soon  after  the  corporal's 

*  Mr.  Pardee  was  descended  from  Geo.  Pardee,  first  Principal  of  the  Hopkins 
Grammar  School,  1660.  This  family  bought  the  Ferry  from  the  Browns,  it 
belonging  to  their  grant  of  land. 


18 

squad  came  in  and  demanded  rum.  Not  having  any  he  took 
them,  they  leaving  a  guard  in  the  house,  to  Mr.  Thaddeus 
Beecher's,  corner  of  Chapel  and  Church  streets,  but  was  made  to 
go  through  the  hot  sun  without  his  hat.  The  wife,  almost  dis- 
tracted at  the  absence  of  her  husband,  was  soon  unexpectedly 
relieved  by  his  return.  The  rum  had  done  its  part,  but  in  the 
meantime  the  soldiers  left  at  the  house  had  broken  or  destroyed 
everything  they  could  ;  crockery,  looking  glasses,  windows,  pic- 
tures torn  from  the  frames  and  bedding  ripped  up  with  bayonets 
and  short  swords.  Mrs.  B.  kept  busy  about  the  house  and  said 
nothing.  Finally  one  of  them  espied  her  string  of  gold  beads 
and  tore  it  from  her  neck,  but  was  at  that  moment  stopped  by  an 
elegantly  dressed  officer,  who  entered  the  house  and  seeing  the 
robbery,  ordered  the  beads  placed  on  her  little  daughter's  neck 
and  thus  they  were  saved,  and  in  the  shape  of  a  gold  chain  re- 
main in  the  family  to  this  day.  This  little  daughter  was  after- 
ward Mrs.  Hervey  Mulford,  and  the  officer  was  General  Garth. 

A  sentinel  was  then  placed  in  the  house,  and  another  outside,  and 
the  rest  of  the  soldiers  ordered  away.  Soon  after,  the  one  in  the 
house  cut  his  buttons  off  his  coat  for  little  Nancy  Bradley  to  play 
with,  and  while  so  doing  a  corporal  came  along  and  seeing  him 
on  the  floor  playing  with  the  little  girl,  knocked  him  over  the 
head  with  his  musket  and  left  him  bleeding  on  the  floor.  Mrs.  B. 
stopped  work,  dressed  the  fellow's  wound,  and  soon  after  he  was 
relieved. 

Among  the  patriots  that  went  forth  to  meet  the  invaders  were 
Caleb  and  Jona  Hotchkiss  (cousins),  paternal  and  maternal  great 
grandfathers  of  Henry  L.  Hotchkiss,  Esq.,  of  this  city.  Mr. 
Caleb  Hotchkiss  was  shot  dead  by  the  enemy  just  as  they  entered 
the  town.  Mr.  Jona  Hotchkiss  escaped,  having  captured  a  Hes- 
sian* in  Hotchkisstown  woods,  taking  from  him  a  fine  musket  and 
box  filled  with  cartridges,  Mr.  H.  having  only  one  charge  left  and 
that  was  in  his  gun.  The  weapon  is  now  deposited  in  the  Museum 
of  the  New  Haven  Colony  Historical  Society.  The  way  that  Mr. 
H.  captured  his  man  was  by  "  surrounding  "  him.  It  seems  that, 
passing  a  clump  of  bushes,  Mr.  H.  heard  a  rustling  sound  and 
called,  "Who's  there?"  and  from  the  reply  he  knew  it  was  a 
foreign  soldier.  He  at  once  ordered  a  halt,  sent  (imaginary)  Jirn 

*  The  enemy  intended  to  destroy  the  Powder  and  Paper  Mills  and  actually 
entered  the  latter,  but  were  driven  off  and  14  of  their  number  captured. 


19 

to  right  and  Joe  to  left,  and  David  was  sent  for  reinforcements. 
He  then  commanded  the  man  to  come  forth  and  surrender,  which 
was  done  without  resistance. 

The  council  of  war  now  found  that  their  losses  in  officers  and 
men  had  been  very  heavy  and  that  the  rebels  were  better  armed 
than  they  expected,  and  had  made  a  very  stubborn  resistance ;  that 
the  country  around  New  Haven  being  very  hilly  it  was  not  safe 
to  go  far  inland  for  forage ;  that  large  reinforcements  with  heavy 
cannon  were  actually  occupying  high  ground  about  the  north 
part  of  the  city,  and  that  the  militia  commanded  by  Generals 
Ward  and  Hart  were  coming  in  from  all  directions.  The  harbor 
was  shoal  and  many  of  the  vessels  at  this  moment  (8  P.  M.,  July 
5th)  were  touching  the  bottom,  and  one  large  vessel  did  actually 
lay  on  her  broadside,  guns  just  out  of  water,  during  this  low  tide. 
It  was  therefore  agreed  to  hold  the  north  and  west  part  of  the 
town  over  night  with  a  part  of  the  first  division  and  the  balance 
of  the  tired  and  drunken  soldiers  were  collected  on  the  Green  or 
Market  Place  and  commanded  to  lay  on  their  arms  all  night 
ready  if  attacked,  while  sentinels  were  placed  the  whole  length 
of  York,  George,  State  and  Grove  streets.  Gen.  Tryon  then 
went  to  his  camp  on  the  Neck,  or  on  the  East  Haven  Heights,  and 
Sir  George  Collier  on  board  his  vessel  at  the  pier.  The  pier  was 
then  that  part  of  Long  Wharf  in  the  channel  and  not  connected 
with  the  land  end.  Commodore  Collier  was  fired  on  from  a 
chamber  window  as  he  passed  down  the  street ;  he  also  had  two 
very  narrow  escapes  while  landing  his  marines  and  sailors.  Gen. 
Garth  remained  with  his  division,  and  by  daylight  (about  high 
water)  the  whole  division  had  embarked  in  boats  sent  from  the 
fleet,  some  crossing  over  the  ferries  and  marching  to  Black  Rock 
Fort  with  the  second  division,  where  they  embarked  after  firing  the 
barracks.  As  the  last  boat  shoved  off  from  the  East  Haven  shore, 
the  Pardee  house  in  Morris  Cove,  in  which  officers  had  been  posted, 
was  standing.  This  boat  was  ordered  back  and  the  house  burned, 
making  the  eleventh  house  besides  as  many  barns  destroyed  by  the 
enemy.*  After  the  war,  to  meet  these  losses  and  others  of  a 
similar  nature,  in  May,  1 792,  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut 
passed  an  act  appropriating  500,000  acres  of  land  west  of  Pennsyl- 

*  The  next  winter  Mr.  Pardee  drew  on  the  ice  across  the  harbor,  on  sledges,  a 
house  from  the  foot  of  Olive  street  (Old  ship  yard),  and  placed  it  on  the  same 
foundation  and  there  lived. 


20 

vania,  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers  by  fire.     The  damage  and 

amount  of  each  person's  loss  in  East  Haven  was  estimated  by 
commissioners  appointed  for  the  purpose,  as  follows: 

£.  s.  (1. 

Amos  Morris 1,235  15  4 

John  Woodward, 838  17  3 

John  Woodward,  Jr., 740  19  11 

Elam  Luddington, 408  6  7 

Joseph  Tuttle, . 79  9  5 

Jacob  and  Abijah  Pardee, 402  8  2 

Jehiel  Forbes, 173  13  1 

Mary  Pardee, 134  14  0 

Mary  and  Lydia  Pardee, 40  8  4 

Noah  Tucker, 99  17  4 


Total £4,154       9       5 

Equal  in  dollars  at  the  time, $23,843.24 

Gurdon  Bradley  lost  £66  in  a  sloop  which  was  burned.  The 
enemy  plundered  the  inhabitants  of  all  they  could  carry  off.  The 
whole  loss  to  East  Haven  by  the  invasion  was  at  least  $25,000. 
The  land  given  the  East  Haven  sufferers  was  located  in  Itfew  Con- 
necticut, Ohio,  bordering  on  Lake  Erie  and  called  the  Fire  land. 
These  sufferers  not  caring,  as  they  said,  to  own  lands  beyond 
where  the  moon  sets,  threw  their  grants  into  market,  and  Kuee- 
land  and  Isaac  Townsend  bought  their  land  warrants  soon  after 
1 800,  and  finally,  with  other  lands  they  had  bought,  located  their 
whole  tract,  22,000  acres,  in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  naming  their 
township,  Townsend.  Here  Kneeland  Townsend  built  a  block 
house  in  which  to  trade  with  the  Indians  and  early  settlers,  which 
was  constructed  with  loop  holes  for  defensive  purposes  if  necessary. 

So  sudden  and  unexpected  was  the  evacuation  of  the  town  to  its 
inhabitants  and  the  surrounding  militia  that  it  was  broad  daylight 
before  the  militia  marched  in,  and  then  (about  6  A.  M.,  July  6th) 
took  quiet  possession.  The  enemy  fired  the  buildings  on  Long 
Wharf  as  the  last  boat  load  pushed  off. 

The  last  vessel  of  the  enemy's  fleet  sailed  from  the  harbor  on 
the  afternoon  of  July  6th,  and  as  she  was  passing  Black  Rock 
Fort,  which  had  been  re-occupied  by  the  patriots,  as  well  as  the 
earthworks  on  Beacon  Hill,  she  rounded  to,  and  fired  a  whole 
broadside  at  the  fort  and  many  of  the  balls  bounded  as  far  as 
Beacon  Hill,  one  of  which  struck  Isaac  Pardee,  severing  his  head 
clean  from  the  body.  He  was  just  ascending  the  hill  on  the  street 
side  with  Mr.  Smith,  of  South  End,  they  having  gone  to  a  spring 
to  fetch  water.  Smith  says  they  "  heard  the  report  of  the  firing ; 


21 

he  turned  with  Pardee  to  look,  saw  the  ball,  he  dodged,  and  it 
carried  away  Pardee's  head."  Some  estimates  make  the  enemy's 
losses  during  the  invasion  sum  up  two  hundred  in  killed,  wounded 
and  missing,  which  is  not  far  from  right.  As  for  the  missing  it  is 
known  that  many  Hessians  deserted  and  remained  at  New  Haven, 
choosing  good  trades  and  occupations  and  becoming  useful  citizens. 
There  were  certainly  several  killed  and  wounded  while  landing, 
also  others  in  the  woods  north  of  Morris  Cove  and  back  of  Prospect 
Hill.  Old  farmers  mentioned  the  loss  as  heavy  after  Thorp  fell. 
We  also  hear  of  numbers  being  buried  at  Waterside  and  on  the 
Neck  (Grapevine  Point).  May  not  the  bones  recently  found  there 
have  been  those  of  British  soldiers  rather  than  the  Hospital  dead  ? 

There  are  very  many  relics  of  this  invasion  in  possession  of 
New  Haven  residents,  such  as  cannon  shot,  musket  balls,  old  mus- 
kets and  cutlasses,  which  ought  to  be  deposited  in  the  museum  of 
the  New  Haven  Colony  Historical  Society.  Many  of  the  old  can- 
non standing  on  the  corners  of  the  streets  were  used  probably  in 
the  invasion,  and  therefore  have  a  historic  interest.  Judging  from 
the  great  numbers  of  cannon  shot  that  have  been  picked  up  on 
the  East  Haven  side  of  our  harbor,  it  is  natural  enough  to  believe 
the  tradition  that  this  section,  as  well  as  the  town,  was  at  times 
under  heavy  fire  from  the  fleet  in  the  bay. 

Among  many  revolutionary  relics  in  possession  of  the  writer's 
family  is  one  of  more  than  ordinary  interest — a  bureau  or  chest 
of  drawers  with  a  cannon  shot  through  it.  This  old  piece  of 
furniture,  on  the  morning  of  July  6th,  1779,  stood  in  a  house 
belonging  to  Theophilus  Munson  in  Chapel  street,  known  as  the 
old  Nathaniel  Lyon  house,  and  was  given  to  the  writer's  great 
great  great  grandfather  by  Abigail,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Munson. 
It  seems  when  the  last  ship  left  the  pier,  which  was  probably  the 
one  that  gave  Black  Rock  Fort  a  broadside  or  parting  salute,  she 
fired  several  shots  on  the  town  as  she  sailed  down  the  bay,  one  of 
them  going  through  a  chamber  in  this  house  in  which  one  of  the 
family  was  sitting,  passing  out  of  the  house  into  a  pile  of  rubbish 
where  it  turned  up  many  years  after,  and  was  found  to  fit  the 
hole  in  the  bureau,  and  is  now  also  in  the  custody  of  the  writer. 

The  enemy  certainly  fared  harder  on  the  east  than  the  west 
shore,  the  East  Haven  men  being  all  armed  with  long  range 
Queen  Anne  muskets  and  being  most  excellent  marksmen,  keep- 
ing just  out  of  the  enemy's  longest  range,  and  knowing  every 
tree  and  fence,  and  fighting  with  a  sense  of  right  and  duty  for 
home  and  fireside. 
4 


LIST   OP    KILLED,  WOUNDED    AND   TAKEN    AWAY    BY   THE   FLEET. 


Killed. 

John  Hotchkiss. 
Caleb  Hotchkiss. 
Ezekiel  Hotchkiss. 
Capt.  John  Gilbert. 
Michael  Gilbert. 
John  Kennedy. 
Jeduthan  Thompson. 
Aaron  Russel. 
Aaron  Bradley. 
John  Baldwin. 
Pomp,  a  negro. 
Elisha  Tuttle  (whose  tongue 

the  enemy  cut  out). 
Joseph  Dorman. 
Asa  Todd. 
Samuel  Woodin. 
Silas  Woodin. 
Benjamin  English. 
Isaac  Pardee. 
Adam  Thorpe. 
Eldad  Parker. 
Timothy  Luddington. 
Gideon  Goodrich. 
Nathan  Beers. 


Wounded. 

Rev.  Dr.  Daggett,  Pres.  of  Y.  Col. 
Elizur  Goodrich. 
Capt.  Caleb  Mix. 
Israel  Wooding. 
John  Austin. 
Nathaniel  Dummer. 
Edmund  Smith. 
Benjamin  Howard. 
Chandler  Pardee. 
David  Austin. 
Joseph  Bassett. 
Thomas  Mix. 
Abraham  Pinto. 
Jeremiah  Austin. 
Atwater,  a  negro  slave. 


Taken  away  Prisoners  of  War. 


Captain  John  Mix, 

Mr.  Whitney, 

Isaac  Towusend,  went  in  place 

of  negro  slave,  Lark, 
John  Townsend, 
Joseph  Tuttle, 
Josiah  Tuttle, 


Samuel  Tuttle, 
Hezekiah  Sabin,  Lieut. 
Thomas  Burrell, 
Captain  Elijah  Forbes, 
Adonijah  Sherman, 
Israel  Wooding. 


There  were  also  several  loyal  gentlemen  and  their  families  who  left  with  the 
fleet,  never  to  return,  as  their  property  was  confiscated  by  the  United  States 
Government  after  the  war. 

Many  of  the  wounded  died  on  account  of  being  bayoneted 
after  being  shot.  The  patriots  also  took  several  prisoners,  who 
were  exchanged  and  sent  away  by  a  cartel  ship  which  sailed  from 
New  Haven,  August  8,  1779. 

As  a  list  of  the  names  of  East  Haven  residents  who  went  forth 
to  meet  the  invader  and  who  were  more  or  less  active  at  the  time, 
may  be  of  interest,  I  have  added  it  to  the  account. 


23 


Rev.  Nicholas  Street,  Captain  Amos  Morris. 
Josiah  Bradley,  Captain  Jedediah  Andrews. 
Elam  Luddington, 
John  Morris, 
Dan  Bradley, 
Moses  Thompson, 
Jesse  Luddington, 
Isaac  Hotchkiss, 
Elihu  Bradley, 
Dan  Tuttlo. 
John  Dennisonf 
Edward  Russel,  Jr., 
Isaac  Chidsey,  1st, 
Joshua  Austin, 
Israel  Bishop, 
Abram  Bradley, 
Phineas  Curtis, 
Jacob  Goodsell, 
Nathan  Luddington, 
Ambrose  Smith, 
Joseph  Russell, 
Stephen  Sheppard, 
Timothy  Bradley, 
David  Grannis, 
Joseph  Tuttle, 
Matthew  Rowe, 
John  Woodward,  Jr., 
John  Hughes, 
Elisha  Andrews, 
Patterson  Smith, 
Stephen  Smith, 
Samuel  Holt, 
John  Fillet, 
Samuel  Townsend, 
Stephen  Pardee, 
Samuel  Smith,  Jr., 
Thomas  Grannis, 
Samuel  Crumb, 
Samuel  Holt, 

Elias  Townsend. 


Captain  John  Moulthrop,  Captain 

Abram  Chidsey, 
James  Adkin  Broton, 
Isaac  Forbes, 
Moses  Hemingway, 
James  Thompson, 
Asa  Mallory, 
Caleb  Smith, 
Samuel  Hemingway, 
Samuel  Sheppard, 
Eben  Roberts, 
Daniel  Wheden, 
Samuel  Thompson, 
Simeon  Bradley, 
John  Hemingway, 
Syria  Field, 
Stephen  Tuttle, 
John  Barnes, 
Levi  Chidsey, 
Israel  Potter, 
Joseph  Mallory, 
Jared  Bradley, 
John  Goodsell, 
Stephen  Woodward, 
John  Woodward,  Sen., 
Isaac  Pardee, 
Jehiel  Forbes, 
Levi  Pardee, 
Isaac  Chidsey,  2d, 
Gurdon  Bradley, 
Dan  Holt, 
Abijah  Bradley, 
George  Landcraft, 
Asa  Bradley. 
David  Eggleston. 
Ezra  Rowe, 
Amos  Morris,  Jr., 
Henry  Freeman  Hughes, 


There  were  many  others  which  I  have  no  means  now  of  knowing. 
The  surrounding  towns  all  contributed  largely  in  men  and  sup- 
plies, and  before  night,  July  5,  there  were  not  less  than  1,000 
men  within  the  limits  of  East  Haven  and  Branford  ready  to 
attack  the  enemy.  Before  sunset  on  the  afternoon  of  July  6th 
the  rear  division  of  the  enemy's  fleet  was  observed  from  Beacon 


24 

Hill,  off  Stratford,  hull  down  and  steering  westward.  We  heard 
of  them  off  Fairfield  at  4  o'clock  next  morning,  where  they  landed 
in  the  afternoon,  having  the  same  commanding  officers  as  at  New 
Haven,  Sir  George  Collier  by  sea,  and  Generals  Tryon  and  Garth 
by  land. 

The  following  address  to  the  inhabitants  was  read  to  a  few 
citizens  of  the  town  on  arrival  of  the  enemy,  July  5th,  1779.  It 
was  also  printed  in  the  London  Gazette  of  October  6th,  1779. 

By  Commodore  Sir  George  Collier,  Commander-in-chief  of  His 
Majesty's  ships  and  vessels  in  North  America,  and  Major  Gen- 
eral Tryon,  commanding  His  Majesty's  land  forces  on  a 
separate  expedition. 

ADDRESS    TO    THE    INHABITANTS    OF    CONNECTICUT. 

The  ungenerous  and  wanton  insurrection  against  the  sovereignty 
of  Great  Britain,  into  which  this  colony  has  been  deluded  by  the 
artifices  of  designing  men,  for  private  purposes,  might  well  justify 
in  you  every  fear  which  conscious  guilt  could  form,  respecting 
the  intentions  of  the  present  armament. 

Your  town,  your  property,  yourselves,  lie  within  the  grasp  of 
the  power  whose  forbearance  you  have  ungenerously  construed 
into  fear;  but  whose  lenity  has  persisted  in  its  mild  and  noble 
efforts,  even  though  branded  with  the  most  unworthy  imputation. 

The  existence  of  a  single  habitation  on  your  defenceless  coast 
ought  to  be  a  subject  of  constant  reproof  to  your  ingratitude. 
Can  the  strength  of  your  whole  province  cope  with  the  force 
which  might  at  any  time  be  poured  through  every  district  in 
your  country?  You  are  conscious  it  cannot.  Why,  then,  will 
you  persist  in  a  ruinous  and  ill-judged  resistance  ?  We  hoped 
that  you  would  recover  from  the  frenzy  which  has  distracted  this 
unhappy  country;  and  we  believe  the  day  to  be  near  come  when 
the  greater  part  of  this  continent  will  begin  to  blush  at  their 
delusion.  You  who  lie  so  much  in  our  power  afford  that  most 
striking  monument  of  our  mercy,  and  therefore  ought  to  set  the 
first  example  of  returning  to  our  allegiance. 

Reflect  on  what  gratitude  requires  of  you;  if  that  is  insufficient 
to  move  you,  attend  to  your  own  interest:  we  offer  you  a  refuge 
against  the  distress  which,  you  universally  acknowledge,  broods 
with  increasing  and  intolerable  weight  over  all  your  country. 

Leaving  you  to  consult  with  each  other  upon  this  invitation, 


25 

we  do  now  declare  that  whosoever  shall  be  found,  and  remain  in 
peace,  at  his  usual  place  of  residence,  shall  be  shielded  from  any 
insult,  either  to  his  person  or  his  property,  excepting  such  as  bear 
offices,  either  civil  or  military,  under  your  present  usurped  gov- 
ernment, of  whom  it  will  be  further  required,  that  they  shall  give 
proofs  of  their  penitence  and  voluntary  submission;  and  they 
shall  then  partake  of  the  like  immunity. 

Those  whose  folly  and  obstinacy  may  slight  this  favorable 
warning  must  take  notice  that  they  are  not  to  expect  a  continu- 
ance of  that  lenity  which  their  inveteracy  would  now  render 
unblamable. 

Given  on  board  His  Majesty's  ship  Camilla,  on  the  Sound,  July 
4,  1779. 

GEORGE  COLLIER, 
WILLIAM   TRYON. 

The  writer  would  append  at  this  point  the  following  account  of 
the  invasion,  taken  from  the  Connecticut  Journal,  July  7th, 
1779,  which  paper  is  at  the  present  time  the  weekly  edition  of  the 
Journal  and  Courier,  and  would  add  a  letter  taken  from  "  A 
Sketch  of  the  Life  and  Character  of  Deacon  Nathan  Beers,"  by 

the  late  Rev.  S.  W.  S.  Dutton. 

i 

[From  the  Connecticut  Journal,  July  7th,  1779.] 

About  2  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  inst.,  a  fleet,  consist- 
ing of  the  Camilla  and  Scorpion,  men-of-war,  with  tenders,  trans- 
ports, etc.,  to  the  number  of  forty-eight,  commanded  by  Commo- 
dore Sir  George  Collier,  anchored  off  West  Haven.  They  had  on 
board  about  three  thousand  land  forces,  commanded  by  Major- 
General  Tryon;  about  1,500  of  whom  under  Brigadier-General 
Garth  landed  about  sunrise  on  West  Haven  point.  The  town 
being  alarmed,  all  the  preparations  which  the  confusion  and  dis- 
tress of  the  inhabitants  and  a  necessary  care  of  their  families 
would  permit  was  made  for  resistance.  The  West  Bridge,  on 
Milford  road,  was  taken  up,  several  field  pieces  carried  thither 
and  some  slight  works  thrown  up  for  the  defence  of  that  pass. 
The  division  under  General  Garth  being  landed,  immediately 
began  their  march  toward  the  town.  The  first  opposition  was 
made  by  about  twenty-five  of  the  inhabitants  to  an  advance  party 
of  the  enemy  of  two  companies  of  light  infantry.  These,  though 
advancing  on  the  height  of  Milford  hill,  were  attacked  with  great 
spirit  by  the  handful  of  our  people,  driven  back  almost  to  West 
Haven  and  one  of  them  was  taken  prisoner.  The  enemy  then 
advanced  in  their  main  body,  with  strong  flanking  parties,  and 


26 

two  field  pieces  ;  and  finding  a  smart  fire  kept  up  from  our  field 
pieces  at  the  bridge  aforesaid,  chose  not  to  force  an  entrance  to 
the  town  by  that,  the  usual  road,  but  to  make  a  circuitous  march 
of  nine  miles,  in  order  to  enter  by  the  Derby  road.  In  this 
march,  our  small  party  on  Milford  Hill,  now  increased  to  perhaps 
150,  promiscuously  collected  from  several  companies  of  the  mili- 
tia, had  a  small  encounter  with  the  enemy's  left  flank,  near  the 
Milford  road,  in  which  was  killed  their  adjutant  (Campbell),  the 
loss  of  whom  was  lamented,  with  much  apparent  sensibility.  Our 
people,  on  the  hill,  being  obliged  by  superior  numbers  to  give 
way,  kept  up  a  continual  fire  on  the  enemy,  and  galled  them 
much,  through  all  their  march  to  Thomson's  bridge,  on  Derby 
road.  In  the  meantime,  those  posted  at  the  West  bridge,  per- 
ceiving the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  also  that  another  large 
body  of  them  had  landed  at  South  End,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
harbor,  quitted  the  bridge  and  marched  thence  to  oppose  the 
enemy  at  Thomson's  bridge.  But  by  the  time  they  had  reached 
the  banks  of  the  river  the  enemy  were  in  possession  of  the  bridge, 
and  the  places  at  which  the  river  is  here  fordable ;  yet  having 
received  a  small  accession  of  strength  by  the  coming  in  of  the 
militia,  they  gave  the  enemy  a  smart  fire  from  two  field  pieces  and 
small  arms,  which  continued  with  little  abatement  till  the  enemy 
were  in  possession  of  the  town.  Our  people  being  obliged  to 
retreat,  either  to  the  fields  north  and  west  of  the  town,  or  through 
the  town  across  the  Neck  bridge,  the  enemy  entered  the  town 
between  12  and  1  o'clock.  In  the  meantime  the  division  of  the 
enemy/ before  mentioned  to  have  landed  at  South  End,  which  was 
under  the  command  of  General  Tryon,  was  bravely  resisted  by  a 
small  party  of  men,  with  one  field  piece,  who,  besides  other  execu- 
tion, killed  an  officer  of  the  enemy  in  one  of  their  boats  at  the 
landing.  This  division  marched  up  by  land  and  attacked  the  fort 
at  Black  Rock ;  at  the  same  time  their  shipping  drew  up  and 
attacked  it  from  the  harbor.  The  fort  had  only  nineteen  men  and 
three  pieces  of  artillery,  yet  was  defended  as  long  as  reason  or 
valor  dictated,  and  then  the  men  made  good  their  retreat. 

The  town  now  being  in  full  possession  of  the  enemy,  it  was, 
notwithstanding  the  enemy's  proclamation,  delivered  up,  except 
a  few  instances  of  protection,  to  promiscuous  plunder ;  in  which, 
besides  robbing  the  inhabitants  of  their  watches^  plate,  buckles, 
clothing,  bedding,  and  provisions,  they  broke  and  destroyed 
household  furniture  to  a  very  great  amount.  Some  families  lost 
everything  their  houses  contained  ;  many  have  now  neither  food 
nor  clothes  to  shift. 

A  body  of  militia,  sufficient  to  penetrate  the  town,  could  not  be 
collected  that  evening ;  we  were  obliged,  therefore,  to  content 
ourselves  with  giving  the  enemy  every  annoyance  in  our  power, 
which  was  done  with  great  spirit,  for  most  of  the  afternoon,  at  or 
about  the  Ditch  Corner. 

Early  on  Thursday  morning  the  enemy,  unexpectedly  and  with 
the  utmost  stillness  and  dispatch,  called  in  their  guards  and 


27 

retreated  to  their  boats,  carrying  with  them  a  number  of  the 
inhabitants  captive,  most,  if  not  all  of  whom,  were  taken  without 
arms,  and  a  few  who  chose  to  accompany  them.  Part  of  them 
went  on  board  their  fleet,  and  part  of  them  crossed  over  to 
General  Tryon  at  East  Haven.  On  Tuesday  afternoon  the  militia 
collected  in  such  numbers  and  crowded  so  close  upon  General 
Tryon  that  he  thought  best  to  retreat  on  board  his  fleet  and  set 
sail  to  the  westward.  • 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  is  unknown,  but,  for  many  reasons,  it  is 
supposed  to  be  considerable,  and  includes  some  officers,  whom 
they  lament,  besides  Adjutant  Campbell.  Ours,  by  the  best 
information  we  can  obtain,  is  27  killed  and  19  wounded.  As 
many  of  our  dead,  upon  examination,  appeared  to  have  been 
wounded  with  shot,  but  not  mortally,  and  afterward  to  have  been 
killed  with  bayonets,  this  demonstrated  the  true  reason  why  the 
number  of  the  dead  exceeded  that  of  the  wounded  to  be,  that 
being  wounded  and  falling  into  the  enemy's  hands,  they  were 
afterward  killed.  A  further  confirmation  of  this  charge  is,  that 
we  have  full  and  direct  testimony,  which  affirms  that  General 
Garth  declared  to  one  of  our  militia  who  was  taken  that  "  he  was 
sorry  his  men  had  not  killed  him  instead  of  taking  him,  and  that 
he  would  not  have  his  men  give  quarter  to  one  militia  man  taken 
in  arms." 

Although  in  this  expedition  it  must  be  confessed,  to  the  credit 
of  the  Britons,  that  they  have  not  done  all  the  mischief  in  their 
power,  yet  the  brutal  ravishment  of  the  women,  the  wanton  and 
malicious  destruction  of  property,  the  burning  of  the  stores  upon 
the  wharf  and  eight  houses  in  East  Haven ;  the  beating,  stabbing 
and  insulting  of  Rev.  Dr.  Daggett,  after  he  was  made  a  prisoner; 
the  mortally  wounding  of  Mr.  Beers,  Senior,  in  his  own  door  and 
and  other  ways  abusing  him ;  the  murdering  of  the  very  aged  and 
helpless  Mr.  English*  in  his  own  house,  and  the  beating  and  finally 
cutting  out  the  tongue  of,  and  then  killing,  a  distracted  man,  are 
sufficient  proof  that  they  were  really  Britons. 

*  The  old  gentleman  lived  on  the  corner  of  Brown  and  Water  street,  and  was 
father  of  Benjamin  English,  Jr..  Esq.,  and  great  grandfather  of  Ex-Senator  James 
E.  English  of  Connecticut.  It  seems  that  a  squad  of  the  enemy  had  occupied  his 
house  and  compelled  his  daughter  to  provide  refreshments  for  them,  arid  on 
account  of  his  reproving  them  for  bad  behavior,  his  utterance  being  in  the  most 
inoffensive  manner,  they  murdered  him  by  running  him  through  the  body  several 
times  with  bayonets;  and  as  he  lay  on  his  back,  bleeding  on  the  floor,  in  the  ago- 
nies of  death,  his  daughter  coming  in  exclaimed,  "  Oh !  how  could  you  murder  my 
poor  old  father  so  cruelly?"  One  of  them  asking,  "  Is  he  your  father?"  to  which 
she  answered,  "  Oh  1  yes,  he  is  my  father,"  the  inhuman  villain  immediately  stood 
and  stamped  upon  his  breast,  and  then  upon  his  face,  crushing  down  his  nose. 
Mr.  Kennedy,  a  noted  Loyalist,  who  rejoiced  at  their  coming,  they  plundered  of 
his  silver  buckles,  etc.,  and  on  his  expressing  some  resentment,  they  stabbed 
him  to  death. 


28 


LETTER    FROM    ISAAC    BEERS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  16th  July,  1779. 

DEAR  BROTHER — I  suppose  that  long  before  this,  you  have- 
heard  of  the  great  misfortune  that  has  befallen  this  town,  in  being 
plundered  by  the  enemy.  As  I  was  so  taken  up  in  attending  on 
father,  and  was  in  such  confusion  other 'ways,  I  desired  Mr. 
Hazard,  who  was  then  here,  to  inform  you  of  our  situation  and 
that  our  dear  father  was  then  near  his  end,  by  a  wound  he 
received  from  those  bloody  savages  (which  letter  was  sent  last 
post  and  I  hope  came  to  hand).  Our  father  was  wounded  in  his 
own  house  some  time  after  the  enemy  had  been  in  town.  The 
shot  was  aimed  at  his  breast,  but  he  pushed  the  gun  so.  far  one 
side  that  it  passed  through  his  hip.  It  was  thought  at  first  the 
wound  was  not  dangerous,  but  he  had  lost  so  much  blood  before 
he  could  have  relief,  that  the  wound  proved  fatal.  He  lived  from 
Monday  afternoon,  the  time  he  received  the  wound, till  the  Satur- 
day following,  the  most  of  the  time  in  great  distress,  and  then 
left  this  troublesome  world,  I  hope  for  one  far  better.  Thus  we 
have  lost  a  kind  parent  by  the  hand  of  those  merciless  wretches, 
at  a  time  which  added  greatly  to  the  distress  we  have  already 
had  to  bear  with. 

As  I  suppose  you  will  learn  by  the  papers  the  particulars  of  the 
action  while  they  were  here,  I  shall  omit  them,  and  only  just  inform 
you  of  some  of  their  behavior  in  town.  They  landed  at  West 
Haven  about  sunrise,  but  were  kept  from  gettinginto  town  till  about 
noon  on  Monday,  the  5th  of  July.  I  was  made  a  prisoner,  but 
had  the  good  luck  to  be  released  soon.  No  sooner  had  the  enemy 
got  into  town  than  they  began  to  plunder  without  any  distinction 
of  Whig  or  Tory,  carrying  off  all  the  valuable  articles  they  could, 
breaking  and  destroying  the  remainder.  In  many  houses  they 
broke  the  doors,  windows,  wainscotwork,  and  demolished  every- 
thing inside  the  house  they  possibly  could.  Some  few  houses 
escaped  by  mere  accident, — Joel  Atwater's,  Michael  Baldwin's 
and  five  or  six  others  in  that  neighborhood,  although  the  families 
have  all  fled.  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  plundered  but  little. 
Elias  was  not  plundered  a  great  deal.  Father's  house  was  plun- 
dered considerably  but  not  damaged  any.  Old  Mrs.  Wooster 
stayed  in  her  house,  and  was  most  shockingly  abused;  everything 
in  the  house  was  destroyed  or  carried  off  by  them — not  a  bed 
left,  nor  the  smallest  article  in  the  kitchen.  Deacon  Lyman's 
house  shared  as  bad,  also  William  Lyon's  and  several  others  in 
different  parts  of  the  town.  They  left  early  Tuesday  morning. 
They  have  carried  off  several  inhabitants  prisoners ;  amongst 
them  are  John  Mix,  Hezekiah  Sabin,  Sr.,  Esq.,  Whitney  Thomas 
Burrell,  Isaac  Townsend,  Capt.  Elijah  Forbes,  Adonijah  Sherman, 
etc.  There  were  killed  belonging  to  the  town,  Constable  Hotch- 
kiss,  John  Hotchkiss,  Ezekicl  Hotchkiss,  Elisha  Tuttle,  a  crazy 


29 

man,  Capt.  John  Gilbert,  Joseph  Dorman,  Asa  Todd,  and  several 
others  from  the  farms  and  country  round. 

Since  the  enemy  left  this  place  they  have  burned  the  towns  of 
Fairfield  and  Nor  walk,  and  we  were  again  alarmed  that  they 
were  returning  to  burn  this  town.  A  person  who  made  his  escape 
from  them  when  at  Xorwalk,  says  the  officers  found  much  fault 
with  the  general  for  not  burning  this  town  when  they  were  here, 
and  they  swore  it  should  be  done  yet.  This  alarms  us  so  much 
that  we  have  moved  all  our  effects  from  this  town  back  into  the 
country,  and  a  great  many  families  have  gone  out,  so  that  we  are 
almost  destitute  already — indeed,  it  is  the  most  prevailing  opinion 
among  the  most  judicious  that  they  intend  to  burn  all  the  seaport. 

As  it  will  be  interesting  to  know  the  state  of  the  moon  and  the 
time  of  high  water  on  the  several  days  of  the  invasion,  Professor 
Lyman,  of  Yale  College,  has  made  the  following  computation. 
Dr.  Bacon  informs  me  the  thermometer,  according  to  Dr.  Stiles' 
record,  was  90  the  4th,  Sunday,  and  it  is  very  probable  the  next 
day  was  still  warmer. 

HIGH   WATER. 

Sunday,  July  4th,  1779, 2:58  p.  m. 

Monday,  "      5th,      " ..  3:40     " 

Tuesday,  "     6th,      "    4:30     " 

Wednesday,      "      7th,      "    5:25     " 

Thursday,         "     8th,     "    6:26     " 

MOON   PHASES. 

Third  quarter. .July  6th,  1779, .. 3:34  p.  m. 

New  moon, "      13th,      "    . 11:03  a.  m. 

First  quarter,.  .    "     20th,      "    4:16  a.  m. 

Full  moon, '•      28th,      " 6:08  a,  m. 

From  the  above  we  find  it  was  high  water  at  Savin  Rock  when 
the  First  division,  under  General  Garth,  landed  with  artillery, 
about  3:40  A.  M.  ;  and  as  the  sun  arose  at  about  4:30  A.  M., 
it  is  probable  that  the  whole  division  was  landed  before  sunrise. 
On  account  of  ebb  tide  and  the  Rock  Fort,  the  fleet  did  not  get 
into  the  harbor  until  the  next  change  of  tide,  which  was  probably 
after  12  M.  The  condition  of  affairs  must  have  been  very  bad 
about  9  P.  M.,  evening  of  July  5th,  as  the  British  soldiers  were 
mostly  all  dead  drunk  and  lying  in  open  air  on  the  Green,  sur- 
rounded by  a  few  sober  ones  who  stood  guard  to  keep  them  from 
getting  more  rum.  The  officers  were  at  dinner  with  the  loyal 
gentlemen  of  the  town.  We  understand  that  a  banquet  was  given 
in  the  Chandler  house,  which  then  stood  on  Church  street  facing 
5 


30 

the  Green,  and  is  now  the  residence  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  General 
Garth's  headquarters  were  at  the  Totten  house  (still  standing 
corner  of  Meadow  and  West  Water  streets),  in  sight  of  General 
Tryon's  headquarters  on  Beacon  hill ;  and  Commodore  Sir  George 
Collier's  were -on  board  one  of  his  vessels  which  was  moored  at 
the  pier. 

Every  vessel  in  the  harbor  was  aground  and  boats  could  not  be 
used  to  advantage  on  account  of  the  mud  flats,  and  on  account  of 
the  militia  keeping  up  a  fire  on  the  outposts  at  Ditch  Corner  (out 
Broadway)  and  Prospect  street,  where  stood  the  Mansfield  house, 
which  was  occupied  by  British  officers  and  soldiers,  and  was  rid- 
dled with  bullets  by  the  patriots  while  thus  in  possession  of  the 
enemy.  The  enemy  were  in  such  a  constant  state  of  alarm  that 
orders  were  given  to  march  at  1:30  A.  M.  The  sentinels  were  • 
doubled  on  George,  State,  Grove  and  York  streets,  so  that  the 
whole  division  was  thus,  as  it  were,  in  a  hollow  square  of  sentinels 
for  the  night,  and  it  was  believed  afterward  that  had  the  militia 
known  the  state  of  things,  they  could  have  come  into  town  about 
midnight  and  made  the  whole  division  prisoners. 

The  withdrawal  of  this  division  from  the  Green  and  town  has 
been  described  by  eye-witnesses  as  perfectly  ridiculous, — with  the 
drunken  and  reeling  soldiers  trying  to  keep  in  line,  and  carts  and 
wagons  and  even  wheel-barrows  in  use  to  get  them  down  to 
the  boats. 

It  appears  that  Adjutant  Campbell,  of  the  Guards,  was  killed 
while  in  the  road  on  Orange  hill  reconnoitering  the  small  company 
under  command  of  Captain  James  Hillhouse,  and  students  under 
President  Daggett  of  Yale  College,  which  had  marched  forth  and 
met  the  enemy's  advance  guard  at  Allingtown,  about  one  mile 
north  of  West  Haven.  He  was  shot  by  a  young  man,  by  name 
Johnson,  and  carried  into  the  house  which  stood  on  the  south  side 
of  the  road.  The  family  were  very  kind  to  him,  and  before  he 
died  he  gave  them  some  articles  of  clothing.  A  handkerchief 
with  his  initials  remains  in  the  family,  I  understand,  to  this  day. 
He  made  a  particular  request  that  his  plume,  sash  and  watch 
should  be  sent  to  his  family,  and  they  were  sent  to  his  regiment 
soon  after  their  return  to  New  York.  It  is  said  of  Adjutant 
Campbell  that  he  was  near  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Williston,  of  West 
Haven,  broke  his  leg  getting  over  a  fence  to  escape  from  the 
enemy.  This  officer  ordered  the  surgeon  of  his  regiment  to  set 
Mr.  Williston's  limb,  and  treated  him  with  great  humanity. 


31 

Campbell  was  buried  on  the  iiortb  side  of  tbe  road,  where  a  rough 
stone  now  marks  the  spot. 

I  find  in  possession  of  Mr.  Frank  Kent  an  account  book,  made 
in  the  old  style  and  bound  in  parchment.  It  was  kept  by  the 
before  mentioned  Benjamin  English,  Jr.,  and  has  been  used  for  a 
scrap-book,  and  much  interesting  matter  is  covered  up  with  cut- 
tings pasted  therein.  A  few  of  the  entries  I  have  copied — 
enough  to  show  the  doings  of  this  powder  mill : 

Xov.  20,  17*74-5 — Mentions  as  received  at  mill  Nov.  20,  1774,  several  lots  of 
saltpetre  from  Mr.  Stephen  Gorham  and  Mr.  Isaac  Doolittle. 

Dec.  1,  1776 — Account  of  powder  brought  from  the  mill  as  private  property 
charged  to  Benjamin  English,  Isaac  Doolittle  and  Stephen  Hine,  and  334£  Ibs.  by 
John  Pierpont  for  the  Privateer,  per  Doolittle. 

Dec.  24,  1776 — Long  account  of  powder  carried  to  owners. 
Feb.  5,  1777— Sale  of  powder  to  Haledy  Bradley.     Total'£29,  14s.,  lid. 
May  1,  1777 — Sale  of  powder  delivered  to  Isaac  Doolittle  as  private  property. 
May     5.   1777,  to  500  Ibs.  powder,  by  Mix. 
"        7,         "        100       "       "          "    Church 
"      12,         "        500       "       "         "     Osborne. 
"      13,         "  66       "       "          "     Mix. 

"      15,         i;          16       "       "         "    yourself  (sic). 

(t         1ij)  ((  46         a          it  a  it 

"      19,         "         100       "       "          "     Mix. 
"      23,         "          16       "      "         "    yourself. 
"      27,         "  30       "       "          "  " 

"      28,        "        100       "       "         "    Joseph  Mix. 
"      29,         "         100       "       "         "  " 

June     9,         "          17       "       "         "    Bill. 
"      14,        "        100       "       "         "    Mix. 
July     2,         "  40i     "       "          "       " 

"        3,         "         400       "       "          "       " 
"      16,         "  15^     "       "          "     self. 

"      20,        l^  '      10       "       "          "       " 
About  2,180  Ibs.  were  sold. 

Sept.  22,  1777 — This  day  began  to  sell  powder  for  eight  shillings  by  the  barrel 
to  Mr.  Brown,  and  nine  shillings  by  retail. 

March  9,  1778 — This  day  began  to  sell  powder  for  eleven  shillings  by  the  barrel, 
and  when  the  act  took  place  sold  for  ten  shillings. 

Account  with  Stephen  Gorham  from  Dec.  23,  1776,  to  Jan.  27,  1778,  when  all 
accounts  with  him  are  settled.  It  seems  to  have  been  cooperage. 

The  following  was  found  on  one  of  the  leaves  of  the  powder 
book,  and  illustrates  how  powers  of  attorney  were  drawn  in  this 
colony  prior  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence : 


32 

I,  Robert  Upham,  in  the  County  of  New  Haven  and  Colony  of  Connecticut,  in 
New  England,  do  constitute  Mr.  Benjamin  English,  Junior,  of  said  New  Haven, 
my  lawful  attorney  in  all  causes  moved  or  to  be  moved  for  me  or  against  me  in  my 
name  to  appear,  plead,  persue,  finish  judgment  and  executors. 

Witness  my  hand  and  seal,  8th  day  of  January,  in  Sixteenth  year  of  His 
Majesty's  Reign,  Anno  Domini,  1776. 

New  Haven,  in  the  County  of  New  Haven,  Jan.  8,  1776. — Personally  appears 
Robert  Upham,  and  acknowledges  the  above  to  be  his  act  and  deed  before  me. 

DAVID  PHIPPS,  Master  of  ship  i:  Alfred." 

Soon  after  having  penned  the  previous  papers,  the  writer  sailed 
from  New  York  per  steamer  Germania  (March  22,  1879),  for 
Europe,  and  while  in  London  obtained  access  to  the  British  war 
records  through  the  assistance  of  friends,  members  of  the  Houses 
of  Lords  and  Commons,  who  kindly  offered  every  courtesy  in  their 
power,  and  to  whom  the  writer  would  express  his  grateful  acknowl- 
edgments. He  desires  to  thank,  also,  the  keeper  of  the  Records 
at  the  Roll  Office,  Mr.  Kingsford,  and  also  W.  W.  Woods,  Esq., 
librarian  at  the  Colonial  Office,  for  assistance  rendered.  By 
the  aid  of  these  gentlemen  the  writer  obtained  information  and 
letters  regarding  the  invasion  never  before  printed  this  side  of  the 
water;  among  them  a  letter  of  instruction  from  Sir  Henry  Clinton* 
commander-in-  chief  of  His  Majesty's  forces  in  America,  to  Major 
General  Try  on,  commander  of  the  expedition  into  Connecticut ; 
the  full  report  from  Gen.  Tryon  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton  regarding 
the  attack  upon  New  Haven,  Norwalk  and  Fairfield,  and  a  report 
from  Brig. -Gen.  Garth  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  dated  at  "  New  Ha- 
ven, half-past  1  o'clock,  July  5th,  1779,"  and  dispatched  to  Major 
General  Tryon,  whose  headquarters  were  on  Beacon  Hill,  the 
present  site  of  Fort  Wooster  ;  also  an  abstract  of  dispatches  from 
Sir  Henry  Clinton,  dated  "  Headquarters,  Dobbs  Ferry,  25th  July, 
1779,  to  the  Right  Honorable  Lord  George  Germane,"  the  head 
of  the  American  department  of  the  British  war  office,  to  whom 
all  dispatches  relative  to  the  war  in  the  rebellious  provinces  were 
sent.  Sir  Henry  Clinton  gives  his  reason  for  the  invasion  of  Con- 
necticut and  recites  as  follows : 

(America  Military,  1779.    Sir  Henry  Clinton.) 

HEADQUARTERS,  DOBBS  FERRY,  25th  July,  1779. 
(Duplicate.) 
My  Lord: 


* 


The  expedition  of  Major  General  Tryon  in  the  Sound  was  a  measure  subservient 
to  my  main  design.     To  secure  him  in  his  operations  and  at  the  same  time  be  at 


33 

hand  to  take  advantage  of  his  success,  I  withdrew  from  Verplanck's  all  the  troops 
which  were  not  destined  for  the  Garrison,  and  took  Post  with  them  at  Byram  and 
Marnaroneck  on  the  9th. 

*************          * 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  the  greatest  respect, 

Your  Lordship's  Most  Obedient  and  Humble  Servant, 

H.  CLINTON. 
Right  Hon'ble  Lord  Geo.  Germane, 

(endorsed)  Headquarters,  Dobbs  Ferry,  25th  July,  1779. 
Sir  Henry  Clinton,  by  Major  General  Gaughan. 

This  brief  note  is  the  only  mention  to  the  Home  Government  to 
be  found  in  the  records  (after  a  diligent  search  by  skilled  attaches 
of  the  department),  giving  the  commanding  general's  reasons  for 
his  expedition  into  Connecticut.  The  parts  eliminated  refer  to 
invasions  into  New  Jersey  and  other  places. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  official  instructions  to  Major 
Gen.  Tryon  by  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  which  have  probably  never 
before  been  published  in  America.  They  were  obtained  by  the 
writer,  as  before  remarked,  among  the  archives  of  the  British 
Government.  The  paper  has  a  local  interest  as  showing  the  plan 
of  the  British  general,  who,  as  already  indicated,  was  one  of  the 
leading  British  officers  in  this  country  and  a  man  of  power  and 
influence  at  home,  and  its  minute  details  indicate  a  thorough  prep- 
aration for  the  attack  upon  New  Haven  and  a  familiarity  with 
well  known  points  hereabouts,  which  there  is  no  doubt  was  derived 
from  New  Haven.  These  instructions  let  us  into  the  secret  plan 
of  the  commanding  general,  Sir  Henry  Clinton.  They  disclose 
that  these  marauding  expeditions  to  New  Haven,  Fairfield  and 
Norwalk  were  intended  to  affect  the  plans  and  movements  of  the 
Father  of  his  Country,  whose  name  Sir  Henry  gave  a  limited 
attention  to  in  this  letter,  giving  only  the  first  and  last  letters. 
The  writer  is  pleased  to  note  that  this  and  other  documents  in  his 
possession  sufficiently  attest  the  correctness  of  tradition  in  its  gen- 
eral and  important  features  regarding  the  mode  and  manner  of 
the  attack.  The  document  is  as  follows  : 

(Military  America,  1779,  Sir  Henry  Clinton.) 
(Instructions  to  Maj.  Gen.  Tryon.) 

Sir — As  New  Haven  is  the  only  port  in  which  the  rebels  have 
any  vessels  (except  New  London)  it  is,  in  my  opinion,  better  to 
begin  there.  The  lauding  seems  good  on  the  east  side  (1)  or 
tongue,  nor  can  you  be  insulted  on  your  retreat.  You  must,  when 


34 

landed,  by  a  rapid  march  get  possession  of  the  rebel  work,  two 
miles  to  the  northward,  on  a  bluff  (2)  commanding  the  harbor, 
and  then  your  ships,  &c.,  may  enter  it.  The  troops  may  afterward, 
if  they  cannot  ford  the  creek  (3),  be  landed  on  the  other  side  (4), 
or  being  landed  on  New  Haven  beacli  (5)  proceed  at  proper  time 
of  tide  to  New  Haven.  The  country  is  populous  and  there  are 
many  friends  (6),  but  'tis  not  advisable  to  stay  any  time  in  the 
force  you  will  be.  I  should  suppose  your  business  must  be  done 
in  24  or  48  hours,  at  each  place  you  will  think  an  object,  and  being 
done,  the  sooner  you  embark  the  better  (7).  The  cattle  may  be 
embarked  from  the  New  Haven  beach. 

Your  next  object  seems  to  be  Fairfield.  Once  in  possession  of 
the  Black  Rock  battery  (8),  at  the  head  of  the  harbor,  all  becomes 
easy,  and  you  can  always  retire  by  Fair  Weather  Island,  which 
has  deep  water  on  the  south  side,  but  not  above  six  feet  within. 
You  may  likewise  land  at  Stratford  Point,  drive  the  cattle  of  that 
district  and  embark  them  from  thence  at  your  leisure  from  C. 
Island  (9).  You  may  do  the  same  with  those  you  find  at  or  near 
Milford.  By  these  desultory  expeditions  you  will,  particularly  at 
this  season,  annoy  the  rebels  much,  deter  their  militia  from  assem- 
bling, and  having  cruisers  off  New  London,  you  will  know  what 
there  is  in  that  harbor  and  keep  it  there  ;  but,  in  my  opinion,  it 
must  not  be  attempted  without  there  are  vessels  to  make  it  an 
object,  and  to  do  it  you  must  be  reinforced.  I  expect  from  this 

move  W n  (10)  will  either  pass  the  North  river  with  his 

whole  army  or  strong  detachments,  and  I  wish  you  to  be  always 
within  24  or  48  hours  of  joining  me.  With  every  wish  for  your 
success,  believe  me,  sir,  yours,  &c., 

(Signed)  SIK  HEN  BY  CLINTON. 

July  2,  1779. 

The  following  foot  notes  refer  to  the  figures  in  parentheses  in 
the  above : 

1.  Morris  Point,  where  the  old  light  house  stands. 

2.  Now  Fort  Hale,  (which  was  named  after  Capt.  Nathan  Hale  of  Connecticut, 
the  American  Martyr,  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  1775),  and  the  earthworks  on 
Beacon  Hill,  now  site  of  the  ruins  of  Fort  Wooster. 

3.  West  river. 

4.  Savin  Eock. 

5.  Oyster,  or  City  Point. 

6.  The  Loyalists. 

7.  As  was  fully  demonstrated  by  the  events  alluded  to  in  a  former  paper. 

8.  Near  Bridgeport. 

9.  Charles  Island,  Milford. 
10.  Washington. 

The  following  is  the  entire  official  report  of  Major  General 
Tryon  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton  regarding  the  expedition  against  New 
Haven,  Fairtield  and  Norwalk,  never  before,  we  believe,  pub- 


.85 

lished  in  this  country,  except  a  small  part,  that  relative  to  the 
NTe\v  Haven  attack.  The  paper  throws  light  upon  the  character 
of  General  Tryon  and  the  manner  of  man  he  was,  especially  those 
portions  of  the  report,  as  the  reader  will  perceivj,  apologizing  for 
the  burning  of  two  churches  in  Fairfield,  in  which  we  will  credit 
him — trusting  to  his  "  official  utterances,"  as  they  say  in  Pinafore 
— with  having  uttered  the  truth  in  asserting  that  the  burning  was 
accidental.  These  expeditions  were  intended,  as  before  said,  to 
affect  the  plans  of  Washington.  This  is  indirectly  again  referred 
to  in  General  Tryon's  mention  of  orders  he  received  from  Sir 
Henry  to  return.  The  sharp  firing  kept  up  by  "the  rebels"  on 
Tryon's  forces,  which  he  "  resented,"  and  his  displeasure  at  the 
handful  of  rebels  for  not  coming  out  in  open  battle  with  the  Brit- 
ish army,  and  other  matters,  hints  of  which  are  afforded  in  the 
paper,  are  interesting  in  the  light  they  cast  upon  events  of  those 
days  of  one  hundred  years  ago.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  fleet, 
after  the  attack  on  Fairfield,  sailed  over  to  Huutington,  probably 
for  rest  and  provisions,  the  troops  being  exhausted  with  their 
labors  and  the  extreme  heat  of  the  weather.  Then  on  the  llth 
the  fleet  re-crossed  the  Sound  and  made  the  attack  on  Norwalk. 
It  then  recrossed  to  Huntingdon,  and  soon  after  sailed  back  to  the 
starting  point  at  Whitestone,  the  rendezvous  of  the  British  fleet. 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  with  his  army  lay,  according  to  his  dispatch, 
at  By  ram  river  (the  dividing  line  between  Connecticut  and  New 
York)  and  Mamaroneck,  and  within  twenty-six  or  forty-eight 
hours'  march  from  Norwalk.  The  report  of  General  Tryon  is  as 
follows : 

(MILITARY,  AMERICA,) 
NEW  YORK,  20th  July,  1779. 

Sir — Having  on  the  3d  instant  joined  the  transports  at  White- 
stone,  Sir  Geo.  Collier  got  the  fleet  under  way  the  same  evening, 
but  the  winds  being  light  he  did  not  reach  the  Harbour  of  New 
Haven  until  the  oth  in  the  morning. 

The  Fifth  Division,  consisting  of  the  flank  companies  of  the 
Guards,  the  Fusileers,  Fifty-fourth  regiment,  and  a  detachment  of 
the  Jagers,  with  four  field  pieces,  under  Brigadier  General  Garth, 
landed  about  5  o'clock  (a.  m.)  a  mile  south  of  West  Haven,  and 
began  their  march,  making  a  circuit  of  upwards  of  seven  miles  to 
head  a  creek  on  the  western  side  of  the  town. 

The  Second  Division  could  not  move  until  the  return  of  the 
boats,  but  before  noon  I  disembarked  with  the  Twenty-third,  the 
Hessian,  Landgrave  and  King's  American  regiments  and  two 


36 

pieces  of  cannon  on  the  western  side  of  the  Harbour,  and  instantly 
began  the  march  of  three  miles  to  the  Ferry  from  New  Haven,  east 
toward  Branford. 

We  took  a  field  piece,  which  annoyed  us  at  the  landing,  and 
possessed  ourself  of  the  Rock  Battery  of  three  guns,  commanding 
the  channel  of  the  Harbour,  abandoned  by  the  Rebels  on  our 
approach.  The  armed  vessels  then  entered  and  drew  near  the 
Town. 

General  Garth  got  into  the  Town,  but  not  without  opposition, 
loss  and  fatigue,  and  reported  to  me  at  half-past  1,  that  he  should 
begin  the  conflagration,  which  he  thought  it  merited,  as  soon  as 
he  had  secured  the  bridge  between  us  over  Neck  Creek. 

The  collection  of  the  enemy  in  force  on  advantageous 
ground  and  with  heavier  cannon  than  his  own,  diverted 
the  General  from  that  passage  and  the  boats  that  were  to 
take  off  the  troops  being  not  up,  I  went  over  to  him ;  and 
the  result  of  our  conference  was  a  resolution  that  with  the  first 
division,  he  should  cover  the  north  part  of  the  town  that  night, 
while  with  the  second  I  should  keep  the  Heights  above  the  Rock 
Fort.  In  the  morning  the  first  division  embarked  at  the  south- 
east part  of  the  town  and  crossing  the  Ferry,  joined  us  on  the  East 
Haven  side,  excepting  the  54th,  which  were  sent  on  board  their 
transports. 

In  their  progress  of  the  preceding  day  from  West  Haven,  they 
were  under  a  continuous  fire,  but  by  the  judicious  conduct  of  the 
General  and  the  alertness  of  the  troops,  the  Rebels  were  every- 
where repulsed.  The  next  morning,  as  there  was  not  a  shot  fired 
to  molest  the  retreat,  General  Garth  changed  his  design  and 
destroyed  only  the  public  stores,  some  vessels  and  ordnance, 
excepting  six  field  pieces  and  an  armed  privateer  which  were 
brought  off. 

The  troops  re-embarked  at  Rock  Fort  in  the  afternoon  with  lit- 
tle molestation ;  and  the  fleet  leaving  the  Harbour  that  evening, 
anchored  the  morning  of  the  8th  off  the  village  of  F airfield. 

The  boats  being  not  sufficient  for  the  whole  of  the  First  divis- 
ion, I  landed  only  with  the  flank  companies  of  the  Guards,  one 
company  of  the  Landgraves  and  the  King's  American  Regiment 
with  two  field  pieces,  east  of  the  village  and  southwest  of  the 
Black  Rock  battery,  which  commands  the  Harbour. 

We  pursued  our  march  (under  a  cannonade  without  effect) 
toward  the  village,  but  on  our  approach  received  a  smart  fire 
of  musketry.  The  rebels  fled  before  the  rapid  advance  of  the 
Guards  and  left  us  in  possession  of  it,  and  of  the  Heights  in  the 
West,  until  General  Garth,  who  landed  two  miles  in  the  south, 
joined  us  with  the  remainder  of  the  troops  in  the  evening. 

Having  laid  under  arms  that  night  and  in  the  morning  burnt 
the  greatest  part  of  the  village,  to  resent  the  fire  of  the  Rebels 
from  their  houses  and  to  mark  our  retreat,  we  took  boat  where 
the  Second  Division  had  landed,  the  enemy  throwing  only  a  weak, 


37 

scattered  fire  on  our  flank,  the  Regiment  De  Landgrave  by  a 
very  proper  disposition  having  very  effectually  covered  our  rear. 
Wanting  some  supplies  we  crossed  the  Sound  to  Huntingdon 
and  there  continued  till  the  eleventh,  and  repassing  that  day, 
anchored  five  miles  from  the  Bay  of  Norwalk.  The  sun  being 
nearly  set  before  the  54th,  the  Landgraves'  Regiment,  and  the 
Jagers  were  in  the  boats,  it  was  near  nine  in  the  evening  when  I 
landed  with  them  at  the  Cow  Pasture,  a  Peninsula  on  the  east  of 
the  Harbour  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  bridge,  which  formed 
a  communication  between  the  east  and  west  parts  of  the  village, 
nearly  equally  divided,  by  a  salt  creek 

The  King's  American  Regiment  being  unable  to  join  us  before 
three  next  morning,  we  lay  that  night  on  our  arms.  In  our  march 
at  the  first  dawn  of  day,  the  54th  led  the  column  and  soon  fell  in 
with  the  rebel  outposts,  and  driving  the  enemy  with  great  alac- 
rity and  spirit,  dispossessed  them  of  Drummond  Hill,  the  Heights 
at  the  end  of  the  village,  east  from  and  commanding  the  bridge. 

It  being  now  but  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  the  rebels 
having  taken  post  within  random  cannon  shot  upon  the  hills  on 
the  north,  I  resolved  to  halt  until  the  Second  Division  landed  at 
the  Old  Wells,  on  the  west  side  of  the  harbour,  had  advanced 
and  formed  the  junction.  Gen.  Garth's  division  passed  the  bridge 
by  nine,  and  at  my  desire,  proceeded  to  the  north  end  of  the 
village,  from  whence,  and  especially  from  the  houses,  there  had 
been  a  fire  for  five  hours  upon  our  advanced  guards.  The  Fuzil- 
leers  supported  by  the  Light  Infantry  of  the  Guards  began  the 
attack,  and  soon  cleared  that  quarter,  pushing  the  main  body,  and 
an  hundred  cavalry,  from  the  northern  heights,  and  taking  one 
piece  of  their  cannon. 

After  many  salt  pans  were  destroyed,  whale  boats  carried  on 
board  the  fleet,  and  the  magazines,  stores  and  vessels  set  in  flames, 
with  the  greatest  part  of  the  dwelling  houses,  the  advanced  corps 
were  drawn  back,  and  the  troops  relieved  in  two  columns,  to  the 
place  of  our  first  debarkation,  and  unassaulted  took  ship  and 
returned  to  Huntingdon  Bay. 

We  were  waiting  only  for  fresh  supplies  of  artillery  and  force 
adequate  to  the  probable  increase  of  the  rebels  by  the  decrease  of 
the  objects  of  their  care,  and  the  alarm  of  the  interior  country, 
when  I  was  honored  on  the  13th  with  your  command  of  the  12th 
for  the  return  of  the  troops  with  the  fleet  to  Whitestone. 

The  rebels  in  arms  at  New  Haven  were  considerable,  more 
numerous  at  Fairfield,  and  still  more  so  at  Norwalk. 

Two  hundred  and  fifty  Continental  troops  had  now  joined  their 
militia,  under  Gen.  Parsons,  and  together  were  said  to  be  upwards 
of  two  thousand.  The  accounts  of  their  loss  are  vague.  It  could 
not  be  trifling. 

The  general  effect  of  the  printed  address  from  Sir  George  Col- 
lier and  myself  to  the  inhabitants  recommended  by  your  Excel- 
lency, cannot  be  discovered  till  there  are  some  further  operations, 
and  descents  upon  their  coast.  Many  copies  of  it  are  left  behind 
at  New  Haven  and  at  Fairfield.  I  sent  one  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
6 


38 

Sayre,  their  Episcopal  missionary,  under  flag  to  a  party  in  arms ; 
and  received  the  answer  of  defiance  already  transmitted.* 

I  regret  the  loss  of  two  places  of  public  worship  at  Fail-field, 
which  took  fire  unintentionally  by  the  flakes  from  other  buildings; 
and  I  gave  strict  orders  and  set  guards  for  the  preservation  of 
that  burnt  at  Norwalk;  but  it  is  very  difficult  when  the  houses 
are  close,  and  of  very  combustible  materials  of  boards  and  shin- 
gles to  prevent  the  spreading  of  the  flames. 

I  should  be  very  sorry  if  the  destruction  of  these  two  villages 
would  be  thought  less  reconcilable  with  humanity  than  with  the 
love  of  my  country,  my  duty  to  the  king,  and  the  law  of  arms  to 
which  America  has  been  led  to  make  the  awful  appeal.  The 
usurpers  have  professedly  placed  their  hopes  of  severing  the 
empire,  in  avoiding  decisive  actions,  upon  the  waste  of  the  British 
Treasures,  and  the  escape  of  their  own  property  during  the  pro- 
traction of  the  war. 

Their  power  is  supported  by  the  general  dread  of  their  tyranny, 
and  the  arts  practiced  to  inspire  a  credulous  multitude  with  a 
presumptuous  confidence  in  our  forbearance. 

I  wish  to  detect  this  delusion  and  if  possible  without  injury  to 
the  Loyalist. 

I  confess  myself  in  the  sentiments  of  those  who  apprehend  no 
mischief  to  the  public  from  the  irritation  of  a  few  in  the  rebellion 
if  a  general  terror  and  despondency  can  be  awakened  among  a 
people  already  divided,  and  settled  on  a  coast  everywhere  thinly  in- 
habited and  easily  impressible,  and  to  which  their  property  is  prin- 
cipally confined.  [I  should  do  injustice  if  I  closed  this  Repoi't  with- 
out giving  every  praise  to  the  troops  I  had  the  honor  to  command.] 

Sir  George  Collier  cooperated  with  us  in  the  direction  of  the 
armed  vessels  employed  in  the  descents,  and  I  have  the  pleasure  to 
add  that  we  had  a  perfect  concert  of  opinion  in  the  main  operation. 

The  Loyal  refugees  possess  a  zeal,  which  with  their  intimate 
and  minute  knowledge  of  the  country  will  always  render  them 
useful  in  such  services. 

I  need  not  withhold  my  commendations  even  from  the  mariners 
of  the  transports,  who  were  generally  employed  in  manning  the 
flatboats  and  batteries,  and  who  were  as  alert  as  if  they  had  been 
entitled  to  the  National  Reward. 

I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  transmit  your  Excellency  a  gen- 
eral return  of  the  killed,  wounded  and  missing  on  this  expedition, 
and  am  with  all  possible  respect, 

Your  Excellency's  Most  Obedient 

and  Very  Humble  Servant, 

WM.  TRYON,  M.  G. 

P.  S.  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  your  Excellency  herewith 
a  copy  of  Gen.  Garth's  report  from  New  Haven,  with  the  return 
of  the  ordnance  and  stores  taken  and  destroyed  on  the  Expedition. 

(Copy  of  a  letter  from  Major  Gen.  Tryon  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
New  York,  July  20th,  1779.) 

*  See  Pres.  Stiles'  Diary. 


39 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Gen.  Garth  to  Gen. 
Try  on,  written  at  New  Haven  (while  he  was  in  possession  of  the 
town),  dated  "  New  Haven,  half-past  one  o'clock,"  and  an  expla- 
nation of  the  circumstances  is  necessary.  The  letter  has  never 
before  been  printed  in  this  country.  Gen.  Garth,  when  he  wrote 
this  letter  was  clearly  of  the  opinion  that  New  Havea  "  merited 
the  flames,"  as  he  himself  said.  This  was  July  5th,  1779.  Gen. 
Tryon  was  then  at  Beacon  Hill  with  his  staff  and  a  part  of  the 
Second  Division.  Ge.n.  Garth  clearly  intended  securing  Neck 
Bridge  (referred  to  as  "  the  Bridge  "),  and  making  his  retreat 
through  what  is  now  Fair  Haven  to  Grapevine  Point,  called 
in  those  days  the  Neck,  and  then  crossing  the  Pardee  "  Ferry  " 
to  East  Haven,  following  the  same  route  through  Woodward- 
town  to  Gen.  Tryon's  headquarters.  But  first,  as  the  letter 
shows,  Gen.  Garth  intended  a  destruction  of  New  Haven, 
by  a  conflagration,  and  the  inhabitants  momentarily  expected  to 
see  the  lurid  flames  with  forked  tongues  bursting  forth  and 
wrapping  the  town  in  their  embrace.  Gen.  Garth  says  he  in- 
tended to  break  up  Neck  Bridge  (after  having  wrapped  the  town 
in  flames)  to  make  his  departure  easy,  or  "with  less  moles- 
tation. 

But  something  happened  to  change  the  General's  plans  just 
before  night.  This  was  after  the  council  of  war  at  the  old  State 
House.  As  stated  in  a  previous  article,  the  General,  just  before 
his  departure,  expressed  the  sentiment  that  the  town  was  too 
pretty  to  burn.  Tradition  attributes  generosity  to  the  General  as 
the  motive  for  not  consigning  the  town  to  the  flames,  and  the 
intercession  of  influential  loyalists,  and  this  seems  to  be  the  ex- 
planation for  the  change  of  programme.  The  General  had 
not  had  an  easy  time  in  New  Haven,  but, — coming  as  sud- 
denly and  unexpectedly  as  he  did — met  with  a  warm  reception 
and  a  constantly  increasing  harrassing  from  the  Patriots.  The 
hard  work  of  July  5th,  the  intense  heat  and  the  abundance  of 
liquor  had  reduced  the  British  forces  to  a  state  which  warranted  a 
speedy  exit  from  the  town,  especially  as  the  Patriot  forces  were 
hourly  being  augmented.  Gen.  Garth,  as  has  been  stated,  moved 
his  army  over  to  Tryon's  headquarters,  a  large  part  by  the  way 
of  the  Ferry  at  the  toot  of  what  is  now  Bridge  street,  and  the 
rest  embarking  from  Long  Wharf  after  setting  the  store- 
houses on  the  wharf  on  fire.  The  following  is  Gen.  Garth's 
letter : 


40 

(Despatches.)  MILITARY,  AMERICA,  1779,  ) 

SIR  HENRY  CLINTON.      \ 
NEW  HAVEN,  £  past  One  O'clock. 

Dear  Sir — We  have  had  a  little  difficulty  with  the  rebels  in 
coming  hither,  but  I  hope  the  loss  is  not  much.  The  troops  are 
greatly  fatigued  through  heat,  and  every  kind  of  cattle  is  driven 
from  the  country,  and  this  place  is  almost  entirely  deserted,  and 
therefore  merits  the  flames.  The  enemy  are  following  us  with 
cannon  and  heavier  than  what  we  have.  I  shall  therefore,  as 
the  Bridge  is  secured  that  communicates  to  you,  begin  the  con- 
flagration and  retire  over  it  and  then  break  it  up,  as  we  may 
either  lay  there  a  few  hours  or  embark  with  less  molestation  than 
from  any  other  place  I  have  seen. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  great  respect,  your  most  obedient 
servant,  (Signed)  G.  GARTH. 

I  shall  send  this  when  the  Bridge  is  passed  by  us. 
To  Maj.  Gen.  Tryon,  &c.,  &c.  Endorsed. 

The  above  letter  was  "  endorsed  "  in  the  records  of  the  British 
war  office  as  a  copy  of  Brigadier  General  Garth's  report  to  Major 
General  Tryon,  New  Haven,  "  in  Sir  Henry  Clinton's  dispatches, 
&c.,  &c." 

The  full  list  of  killed  and  wounded  at  New  Haven,  as  ap- 
pended in  Tryon's  report,  is  as  follows: 

"  Names  of  the  Officers  Killed  and  Wounded." 

Guards,  Adjutant  Campbell,  killed ;  Captain  Parker,  wounded. 
54th  Regiment  of  Foot,  Captain  Bickop,  Lieut.  Powell,  wounded. 
King's  American  Regiment,  Ensign  and  Adjutant  Walkins,  killed. 


Guards,  1  officer,  one  rank  and  file  killed ;  1  officer,  1  sergeant,  9  rank  and  file 
wounded;  14  rank  and  file  missing. 

7th,  or  Royal  Fuziliers,  1  sergeant,  7  rank  and  file  wounded ;  2  rank  and  file 
missing. 

23d,  or  Royal  Welch  Fuziliers,  1  drummer,  1  rank  and  file  wounded. 

54th  Regiment  of  Foot,  1  sergeant,  6  rank  and  file  killed ;  2  officers,  1  drum- 
mer, 5  rank  and  file  wounded ;  1  sergeant,  7  rank  and  file  missing. 

Landgrave  Regiment,  2  rank  and  file  wounded. 

Detachment  of  Jagers,  1  rank  and  file  wounded;   1  rank  and  file  missing. 

King's  American  Regiment,  1  officer  killed ;  1  sergeant,  6  rank  and  file  wounded. 

Royal  Artillery,  1  driver  wounded.  WM.  TRYON,  M.  G. 

NOTE. — It  was  fully  believed  at  the  time  of  the  war  by  the  Patriots  that  the 
British  loss  was  as  much  as  double  that  reported  by  Tryon.  The  writer  during 
his  late  visit  to  England  endeavored  to  obtain  a  list  of  the  stores,  war  material, 
etc.,  captured  at  New  Haven,  but  no  light  was  thrown  upon  the  matter  in  the 
records.  It  will  be  noticed  the  Hessian  loss  reported  is  small,  which  was  usual, 
as  the  Government,  we  are  told,  had  to  pay  for  every  one  killed,  according  to  rank. 


41 

The  writer  having  been  given  access  to  the  diary  of  President 
Ezra  Stiles,  of  Yale  College,  by  President  Porter,  with  permission 
to  use  the  same  in  this  account  of  the  invasion,  takes  this  oppor- 
tunity to  thank  President  Porter  for  the  great  kindness ;  also 
Professors  Fisher,  Van  Name,  Dexter,  Brewer,  and  Mr.  Wm.  L. 
Kiugsley,  the  able  editor  of  the  New  Englander,  for  lending  a 
hand  to  assist  with  advice  and  otherwise. 

The  abstracts  from  the  diary  may  seem  a  repetition,  the  first 
being  kept  on  separate  sheets  of  paper  and  afterwards  compiled 
and  copied  into  the  aforesaid  diary.  As  both  are  most  important 
revolutionary  documents  I  have  copied  them  verbatim,  leaving 
each  to  tell  its  own  story. 

Old  Diary  kept  on  slip  of  paper. 

DIARY    OP    PRESIDENT     EZRA    STILES    OF    YALE     COLLEGE.       VOL.    IX, 

PAGE    66. 

1779,  July  4th,  Lord's  day,  10  o'clock  evening,  advices  received 
in  town.  Fleet  off  Westfield  (Bridgeport)  when  our  sentries  gave 
alarm  and  we,  here,  fired  the  alarm  of  three  cannons.  I  earnestly 
pleaded  to  send  for  militia  immediately.  But  would  not  believe 
the  enemy  intended  landing. 

July  5th,  Monday  morning  about  l£  A.  M.  Alarm  guns  again. 
Rang  bells  and  beat  to  arms  in  earnest — received  advices,  fleet 
had  anchored.  At  daylight  saw  the  ships  distinctly  from  steeple 
of  College  Chapel.  Began  to  remove  all  property,  &c.  Militia 
meeting.  Tories  calm.  With  telescope  from  the  tower  or  steeple 
clearly  saw  the  boats  putting  off  from  the  ship  and  landing  a 
little  after  sunrise.  Immediately  I  sent  off  College  records  and 
papers  and  my  plate  three  miles  out  of  town  and  a  bag  of  my 
own  things.  Sent  my  daughter  off  on  foot  for  Carmel  (Mt. 
Carruel)  about  VI.  Our  artillery  and  militia  moved  to  West 
bridge,  pulled  it  up  and  planted  artillery  to  make  a  stand.  Our 
people  crossed,  however,  and  went  forward  to  Milford  hill,  where 
they  received  the  enemy  in  a  marching  column.  Here  Mr.  John 
Hotchkiss*  was  killed,  and  soon  after  Dr.  Daggett  wounded  and 
taken.  The  enemy  turned  and  avoided  the  bridge,  marched 
through  the  Westfield  to  the  bridge  on  Derby  Road,  about  half 
a  mile  from  town.  One  corps  of  about  100  volunteers;  militia 
harrassed  them  on  their  march,  hanging  on  their  left  flank.  They 
crossed  Derby  Road  bridge  and  came  into  town  at  xii.  40  (12:40 
p.  M.)  The  action  became  general  at  entrance  of  town,  on  corner 
(Ditch  corner)  when  several  were  killed.  We  retreated  to  Neck 
bridge  and  made  stand.  The  militia  rushed  in  and  formed  into 

*  He  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  class  1748,  and  his  wife  was  a  grand- 
daughter of  Gov.  Eaton,  first  Colonial  Governor  of  New  Haven  Colony. 


42 

4  divisions, — at  East  Haven,  at  Neck  bridge,  at  Mill  Lane  and 
Ditch  corner  and  fought  all  day.  At  VIII  o'clock  firing  ceased. 
Enemy  plundering  the  town  from  entrance  till  VIII  evening. 

July,  6th,  A.  M.,  1^  morning.  Enemy  paraded.  Sailors  came 
on  shore  and  took  their  turn  at  plunder.  About  sunrise  began 
(enemy)  to  march.  Crossed  Ferry  to  East  Haven.  Last  about 
sun  one  hour  high  or  half  hour  high.  Gen.  Ward  entered  VII 
morning,  4  stores,  7  vessels  fired  ;  Gen.  Tryon  and  Gen.  Garth. 
Enemy  3,000.  All  day  engaged  at  East  Haven  at  Beacon  Hill,  &c. 
Gen.  Ward  there  and  Gen.  Hart  in  town  ;  4  regiments  in  East 

Haven,  Col.  Russel,  Col.  Cook,  Col.  Worthington,  Col. . 

Sunset,  enemy  embarked  and  sailed.  I  went  into  town  a  few 
hours  after  evacuation,  10  A.  M. 

July  7th.  About  11  p.  M.  enemy  landed  and  burnt  Fairtield, 
leaving  only  15  houses  in  two  miles  around.  Town  composed  80 
or  90  dwelling  houses.  About  70  were  burnt,  also  meeting  house 
and  church. 

July  8th.  Removing  my  furniture  broke  my  Fahrenheit  Ther- 
mometer which  I  have  had  since  1762. 

July  9th.     British  army  at  Byratn  river. 

July  10th.  Fleet  anchored  off  Norwalk.  Burnt.  Inhabitants 
New  Haven  removing,  expect  return  of  enemy. 

British  army  at  Byram  river.  6  Regiments  Green  Light 
Infantry;  Queen's  Rangers,  300  men;  Emerick  Corps  (sic),  150 
men;  British  Legion,  Cathcart's,  200  men;  22d  Reg't.,  300  ;  23d 
Reg't.,  37th  Reg't.,  Horse  (total  800).  Total  3,000."  Infantry  say 
6,000.  Total  British  Army,  New  York,  12,000  men. 

July  llth.  Lord's  day.  Heard,  1:11  p.  M.,  Stamford  in  flames. 
(Later,  crossed  out.) 

July  12th.  The  whole  town  moving.  Mr.  Baldwin  came  in 
(town  supposed).  Enemy  left  Norwalk  this  morning.  Mr. 
Baldwin  entered  upon  enemy's  departure,  all  but  few  houses, 
burnt  church.  Clergymen  of  both  places  fled  with  enemy. 

July  27th.  Went  to  East  Haven  to  recover  some  of  President 
Clapp's  MSS.* 

July  28th.     Returned  to  Yale  College. 

Diary  of  President  Ezra  Stiles  compiled  probably  from  a  brief  found  in  his  diary, 

vol.  14,  p.  66. 

NEW  HAVEN  TAKEN  BY  THE  ENEMY. 

The  next  morning  after  this  was  written  (refer  to  former  entry) 
we  were  thrown  into  great  distress  by  the  approach  of  the  enemy 
in  a  fleet  of  about  40  sail.  I  sent  my  children  and  the  college 

*  In  a  subsequent  paper  an  account  will  be  given  of  the  ill  treatment  of  Mrs. 
Maj.  Gen.  Wooster  (Lady  Wooster),  daughter  of  President  Clapp,  of  Yale  College 
and  the  plundering  of  her  house  in  Wooster  street  of  valuable  papers,  known  as 
the  Olapp  MSS.,  which  were,  after  the  British  sailed,  thrown  overboard.  Some 
of  them  were  recovered  in  a  damaged  condition. 


43 

records  and  papers  and  my  own  MSS.  and  papers  out  of  town 
before  the  enemy  reached  the  town.  I  did  not  bring  back  this 
diary  till  Aug.  9th.  I  propose  to  catch  a  few  leisure  moments 
to  note  some  occurrences  of  the  time  elapsed  from  July  5,  the  day 
of  the  enemy  landing,  to  this  time. 

About  one  o'clock,  morning  July  5th,  the  fleet  of  about  40  sail 
under  command  of  Sir  George  Collier,  anchored  off  West  Haven. 
Alarm  guns  were  fired  and  Lieut.  Col.  Sabin  of  the  militia 
ordered  to  beat  to  arms.  A  lethargy  seemed  to  have  seized  the 
inhabitants,  who  would  believe  the  fleet  would  pass  by  us  in  the 
morning.  However,  s.ome  of  us  set  about  putting  up  and  remov- 
ing furniture.  But  all  was  confusion.  At  daylight  we  descried 
the  fleet,  and  with  a  telescope  on  the  top  of  the  tower  of  the 
college  steeple  we  plainly  saw  the  boats  putting  off  from  the 
shipping  for  shore  at  5  o'clock,  or  a  little  after  sunrise.  All  then 
knew  our  fate.  Perhaps  one-third  of  the  adult  male  inhabitants 
flew  to  arms  and  went  out  to  meet  them.  A  quarter  moved  out 
of  town  doing  nothing,  the  rest  remained  unmoved,  partly  Tories 
partly  timid  Whigs.  Sundry  of  the  Tories  went  armed  and  went 
forth.  About  90  or  100  men  finally  stayed  in  town. 

The  numbers  are  very  differently  estimated,  more  generally 
considered  as  3,000  troops  commanded  by  Maj.  Gen.  Tryon. 
There  were  but  two  Generals,  Tryon  and  Garth.  They  had  but 
20  square-rigged  vessels,  ships,  scows  and  brigs,  of  which  15  were 
ships,  others  were  tenders,  galleys,  etc.  Gen.  Glover  marched 
next  Lord's  day  with  his  Continental  brigade,  which  was  judged 
by  the  staying  inhabitants  larger  than  Gen.  Garth's  division,  and 
yet  I  was  assured  by  a  knowing  officer  that  this  corps  did  not 
exceed  a  thousand  privates.  I  judge  Garth's  division  600  or  800 
in  column  and  250  on  each  flank — 1,200  at  most;  Tryon's  division 
larger  and  yet  excluding  marines  the  total  of  both  divisions 
might  be  more  truly  estimated  at  2,000.  Sir  George  Collier  says 
2,600. 

At  5  morning,  Gen.  Garth's  division  landed  at  West  Haven 
and  marched  to  the  meeting  house,  one  mile,  and  formed  upon  a 
green,  where  they  halted  two  hours.  About  ix  or  x  o'clock  Gen. 
Tryon  lauded  his  division  at  5  Mile  Point.  Both  divisions 
became  engaged  in  their  respective  operations  at  the  same  time. 
CoL  Sabin,  with  2  pieces  of  artillery,  went  to  West  bridge. 
Capt.  Hillhouse,  with  20  or  30  brave  young  men,  together  with 
many  others,  crossed  the  bridge  over  the  Milford  hill,  and  within 
100  rods  or  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  meeting  house,  where  the 
enemy  were  paraded.  Upon  their  beginning  the  march,  Capt. 
Hillhouse  fired  upon  the  advance  guard  so  as  to  drive  them  into 
the  main  body.  But  coming  in  force  the  enemy  perceived  others 
besides  Hillhouse's  party  had  by  this  time  passed  the  bridge  and 
reached  the  hill  to  perhaps  the  number  of  150  men.  These  kept 
up  a  galling  fire  on  especially  their  outguards,  extending  perhaps 
to  40  or  50  rods  each  side  of  the  column,  and  yet  the  column 


44 

marched  in  a  huddled  confusion  in  about  30  companies  and  three 
divisions  thus  : 


Advance  Guard. 


00  f>        .»  g 

i      40  Rods.        Ha*40  Rods-      '3 

a  OQ 


»  M  od 

Q  "o 

£     Gen.    bq  Garth. 

S  o 

~  §  * 

3  t/j 


Is      40  Rods.        Q     §•      40  Rods.      .2 

-  a 


The  above  is  the  order  in  whirh  the  enemy  marched  in  column  from  West 
Haven  Green,  where  they  formed.  The  line  of  march  of  the  "West  Division 
under  Brig.  Gen.  Garth  and  the  East  under  Maj.  Gen.  Tryon,  will  be  shown  in 
several  engravings  which  have  been  executed,  to  accompany  this  work. 

The  enemy  were  not  so  much  attending  to  their  street  order  as 
a  general  vigorous  march. 

On  Milford  hill  Adjutant  Gen.  Campbell,  of  the  enemy,  was  slain 
and  left  behind.  Sundry  more  were  wounded,  near  2d  mile  stone. 
Dr.  Daggett,  Professor  of  Divinity  (ex-President  of  Yale  College) 
was  captured.  He  discharged  his  piece  and  then  submitted  as 
prisoner.  They  after  this  pierced  and  beat  him  with  bayonets 
and  otherwise  abused  him  so  that  his  life  was  in  danger  for  a 
month  afterwards.  Also  on  our  side  John  Hotchkiss,  A.M.,  was 
slain  by  the  enemy.  Our  artillery  at  the  bridge  was  well  served 
by  Capt.  Bradley  and  threw  shot  successfully  across  to  Milford 


45 

hill  and  prevented  the  enemy  passing  the  causeway  and  so  into 
town  that  way.  Thereupon  they  turned  off  and  continued  their 
route  round  to  Derby  bridge.  As  they  came  along,  our  people 
divided,  some  crossed  the  bridge ;  others  kept  to  the  enemy's  left 
and  under  command  of  Col.  Burr*  (son  of  President  Burr) 

harrassed  the  enemy's  march.     At  the  bridge  Major and 

some  militia  repulsed  an  expedition  of  the  enemy  towards  the 
powder  mill.  The  light  troops  of  the  right  flank  forded  the  river 
perhaps  twenty  rods  below  the  bridge  while  the  main  body 
crossed  the  bridge.  Upon  their  passing  the  second  mile  stone 
and  it  appearing  evidant  that  they  aimed  round,  Col.  Sabin  and 
the  field  piece,  Capt.  Hillhouse,  &c.,  &c.,  crossed  the  field  with 
two  pieces  to  meet  them  at  Derby  bridge.  Then  at  the  enemy's 
rising  a  hill  and  taking  the  road  to  town  we  gave  them  a  hearty 
fire  and  took  a  number  of  prisoners ;  also  on  the  other  side  near 
the  mill  we  took  a  number. 

The  northern  militia  and  those  from  Derby  by  this  time 
crowded  in  and  passed  on  all  sides  and  some  behaved  with 
amazing  intrepidity.  One  captain  drew  up  and  threw  his  whole 
company  (the  Derby  Company,  probably),  directly  before  the 
enemy's  column  and  gave  and  received  their  fire.  We  fought  upon 
a  retreat  into  the  town.  Just  at  the  northwest  (Ditch  corner) 
entrance  the  battle  became  very  severe  and  bloody  for  a  short 
time,  when  a  number  were  killed  on  both  sides.  The  enemy, 
however,  proceeded  along  in  force  and  entered  the  town  at  40 
minutes  after  12  or  a  little  before  1  o'clock  p.  M.  From  their 
first  entrance  till  8  in  the  evening  the  town  was  given  up  to 
ravage  and  plunder,  from  which  only  a  few  houses  were  protected. 
Besides  what  was  carried  off,  great  damage  was  done  to  furniture, 
etc.,  left  behind. 

While  these  things  were  transacting  on  this  side  of  the  harbor, 
Gen.  Tryon  was  pursuing  his  desolation  on  the  East  side.  Upon 
landing  he  set  fire  to  Mr.  Morris'  elegant  seat.  He  was  molested  by 
the  Fort  on  Black  Hock,  3  miles  from  town,  under  the  command 
of  Lieut.  Bishop,  and  also  by  a  field  piece  under  the  gallant 
Lieut.  Pierpont.  At  length  the  fort  was  evacuated  and  the 
enemy  reached  Beacon  hill  in  the  afternoon.  The  enemy  pushed 
out  almost  to  East  Haven  meeting  house.  But  the  militia  col- 
lecting in  from  every  part  pressed  upon  them.  The  enemy  drew 
nearer  on  to  water  on  the  west  or  town  side.  The  confluence  of 
militia  accumulated  chiefly  at  three  places,  at  Neck  bridge  (which 
the  enemy  had  pulled  up  and  retired),  Mill  lane  and  Ditch 
corner.  At  the  last  place  was  incessant  firing  on  both  sides  all 

*  See  Drake's  Dictionary  of  American  Biography.  Aaron  Burr,  Arice  Pres't  of 
U.  S.,  born  New  Jersey,  Feb.  6th,  1756,  died  Staten  Island  Sept.  14th,  1836,  son 
of  President  Burr  and  grandson  of  President  Edwards.  Colonel  Burr  had  that 
morning  taken  a  daughter  of  President  Edwards  to  a  place  of  safety  in  North 
Haven,  and  hurrying  back  took  part  in  the  several  engagements  that  followed. 

7 


46 

the  afternoon,  and  sundry  were  slain,  and  at  length  the  firing  on 
both  sides  ceased  in  the  evening. 

In  the  afternoon  of  Monday,  28  large  boats  came  ashore  from 
the  shipping  with  about  one  thousand  seamen  to  share  in  the 
plundering.  But  General  Garth  absolutely  forbid  them  landing 
and  sent  them  back,  all  but  six  boats  which  landed,  alleging  that 
it  would  be  dangerous  should  the  boats  be  left  on  the  flats  at  low 
water.  Gen.  Tryon  kept  chiefly  on  the  east  side  of  the  harbor 
(Beacon  Hill).  He  was,  however,  over  on  this  side  in  the  course 
of  the  afternoon.  (Met  at  council  of  war.)  Garth  feared  lest  his 
men  would  become  too  drunk  to  remain  safe  on  shore,  and  pro- 
posed to  Tryon  going  on  board  that  night,  but  Tryon  refused  it. 
The  troops  were  ordered  to  parade  at  1  o'clock  next  morning,  and 
the  tories  were  notified  of  the  departure.  Four  families  (Messrs. 

Chandler,  Camp,  Botsford  and )  accordingly  prepared  and 

went  off  with  them  next  morning. 

Though  they  began  to  call  in  their  outposts,  etc.,  and  march  the 
main  body  a  little  before  sunrise  of  the  morning  of  the  6th  of 
July,  yet  they  left  150  men  to  set  fire  to  several  stores  on  the 
wharf  and  the  vessels.  These  (troops)  resumed  plundering  while 
their  galleys  kept  up  a  fire.  The  ships  and  stores  were  fired 
between  vi  and  vii  morning.  At  the  distance  of  three  miles  north 
of  the  town  I  espied  this  conflagration,  when  we  supposed  the 
whole  town  was  destined  to  the  flames.  But  a  merciful  God 
ordered  it  otherwise.* 

A  few  of  the  troops  went  directly  to  their  shipping.  Those  fit 
for  duty  (for  they  had  been  very  drunk)  crossed  the  ferry  and 
joined  General  Tryon's  corps  or  division  on  Beacon  Hill,  half  a 
mile  from  the  water.  General  Ward,  of  the  militia,  had  command 
at  Ditch  corner,  and  indeed  all  around  on  Mondav.  On  Tuesday 
morning  he  entered  the  town  after  it  was  evacuated  and  then  pro- 
ceeded round  to  East  Haven,  where  he  took  command  of  four 
militia  regiments  now  arrived,  viz :  Colonel  Cook's,  Colonel  Rus- 
sell's, Colonel  Worthington's  and  Colonel  Sage's,  forming  a  corps 
of  1,000  men,  besides  as  many  more  spectators  and  volunteers  not 
under  command.  This  body,  together  with  the  field  pieces, 
greatly  disturbed  the  enemy  till  at  length  they  quitted  the  hill 
about  noon  on  Tuesday.  We  immediately  took  it  and  brought  a 
field  piece  there,  between  which  and  the  galleys  at  Black  Rock 
there  was  kept  up  an  enlivening,  incessant  and  animating  fire  all 
the  afternoon.f 

Our  militia  grew  bold   and  adventurous,  and   approached  so 

*  I  am  informed  that  Mr.  C.  S.  Maltby's  grandfather,  Colonel  Eussell,  had  a 
horse  shot  under  him  at  this  time.  General  Maltby,  of  Washington's  staff,  who 
compiled  the  first  army  tactics  of  those  days  for  the  United  States  army,  was  a 
brother-in-law  of  the  aforesaid  Colonel  Russell. 

f  This  accounts  for  the  many  cannon  shot  found  on  the  Town  send  property  in 
East  Haven,  and  agrees  with  tradition. 


47 

close  to  the  enemy  as  to  become  very  troublesome.  Brig.  Gen. 
Hart,  of  the  militia,  had  entered  the  town  and  took  the  necessary 
measures  there.  The  galleys  fired  at  the  militia  on  the  wharves 
and  shore.  In  a  word,  a  vigorous,  incessant  and  heavy  fire  was 
kept  up  till  sunset,  when  the  enemy  fired  the  barracks  in  the  fort, 
and  embarked  and  sailed  Tuesday  evening.  On  Tuesday  morn- 
ing, upon  their  crossing  over  the  ferry,  the  enemy  displayed  their 
vengeance  by  setting  fire  to  houses,  barns  and  stores  in  East 
Haven.  On  both  sides  of  the  river  or  harbor  the  amount  of  their 
conflagrations  was  burning  eight  dwelling  houses,  six  stores,  five 
or  six  barns,  eight  vessels.  The  total  damage  to  the  town,  accord- 
ing to  an  account  rendered  unto  the  selectmen,  is  about  £21,000. 
L.  M.  Oldway  (sic.)  When  they  came  into  town  the  dead  and 
wounded  were  carried  down  to  the  ships  and  through  the  Green 
in  seven  chairs  and  five  wagons,  in  one  of  which  wagons  were  ten 
men,  as  I  had  it  from  one  that  lived  at  the  water  side  and  counted 
them.  They  killed  of  our  people  in  action  twenty-one  besides 
some  that  died  of  their  wounds,  and  besides  two  aged  men,  Mr. 
English  and  Mr.  Beers,  whom  they  bayoneted  in  their  houses, 
making  no  resistance.  Their  barbarity  was  savage  and  cruel,  if 
not  without  a  parallel,  yet  to  the  degree  of  the  highest  and  most 
brutal  rigor  of  war. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  town  they,  the  British,  dispersed  a  few 
printed  proclamations  issued  by  Commodore  Sir  George  Collier 
and  Gen.  Try  on  jointly,  offering  protection  to  all  that  either  sub- 
mitted or  kept  peaceably  in  their  houses.  This  they  violated  in 
most  instances.  They  also  read  on  the  Long  Wharf  a  proclama- 
tion of  freedom  to  negroes  who  should  join  them.  But  few,  and  I 
think  none,  of  the  negroes,  went  off  with  them.  They  carried  off* 
between  20  and  30  prisoners,  among  the  rest  Jonathan  Whiting, 
Esq.,  judge  of  probate,  Capt.  Mix  and  Mr.  Sabin.  Notwithstand- 
ing they  burned  no  dwelling  houses  in  town  on  the  west  side  of 
the  water,  yet  they  damaged  the  windows,  doors,  wainscots,  etc., 
of  many,  but  they  did  not  the  least  damage  to  the  President's 
house  or  college  edifices,  and  very  little  to  the  meeting  houses, 
State  House,  etc. 

Upon  their  landing  I  sent  off  my  four  daughters  in  town,  one 
being  absent  in  Hartford,  who  walked  on  foot  for  Mount  Carmel. 
I  sent  the  college  records  and  a  quantity  of  colonial  papers  three 
miles  off  by  my  youngest  son.  I  sent  off  a  horse  load  of  bags  of 
clothes  another  way  ;  then  sent  Isaac  with  a  carriage  to  overtake 
his  sisters ;  and  then  ray  oldest  son  Ezra  went  to  West  Bridge, 
and  was  in  all  the  actions  of  both  the  days  on  both  sides  of  the 
harbor.  At  length  I  was  ready  to  depart  and  set  off  on  horseback 
to  get  a  few  miles  out  of  town,  and  sent  in  a  cart  which  happily 
brought  off  four  beds,  etc.,  and  trunks  from  my  house.  The  rest 
of  my  furniture  was  left,  yet  they  neither  took  nor  damaged  any 
except  one  large  looking  glass,  into  which  they  fired  a  ball  which 
demolished  it.  I  retired  a  few  miles  (2  or  3),  but  spent  the  day 


48 

in  riding  around  among  our  confluence  of  militia  from  Neck  Rock 
to  Ditch  corner,  and  next  morning  soon  after  the  evacuation  I 
returned  to  town  and  visited  the  desolation,  dead  corpses  and  con- 
flagration. It  was  with  a  sense  of  mixed  joy  and  sorrow, — plun- 
der, rape,  murder,  bayoneting,  indelicacies  towards  the  sex,  inso- 
lence and  abuse  and  insult  toward  the  inhabitants  in  general, — 
dwellings  and  stores  just  setting  on  tire  in  East  Haven  in  full 
view,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.;  joy  and  rejoicing  that  the  buildings  had 
escaped  the  flames  in  the  compact  part  of  the  town,  yet  mixed 
with  fear  of  re-landing  and  future  conflagration  of  which  they  had 
left  vigorous  threatening.  The  fleet  left  the  evening  or  night  of 
Tuesday,  the  6th  inst. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  July  9th,  they  anchored  off  Fairfield, 
and  landing  here,  took  possession  of  the  town  of  about  one  hun- 
dred dwelling  houses.  They  sent  out  Parson  Sayre  and  a  flag 
with  the  proclamation  to  the  military,  at  the  same  time  setting 
the  town  afire.  Colonel  Whiting  of  the  militia  sent  back  this 
answer : 

"Connecticut  having  nobly  dared  to  take  up  arms  against  the  cruel  despotism  of 
Britain,  and  the  flames  having  preceded  their  answer  to  your  flag,  they  will  persist 
to  oppose  to  their  utmost  the  power  exerted  against  injured  innocence. 

SAMUEL  WHITING,  Col.  Commanding. 

July  7th,  sunset. 

MAJOR  GEN.  TRYON." 

At  New  Haven  we  heard  the  heavy  cannonading  at  their  land- 
ing at  Fairfield,  being  3  p.  M.  of  Wednesday,  7th.  They  burned 
the  most  of  the  town  that  night,  with  the  village  of  Green's  Farms. 
The  public  buildings  were  spared  until  next  morning,  when  they 
were  burned.  Gen.  Tryon  in  person  at  Mrs.  Burr's  (lady  of  Thad. 
Burr,  Esq.,)  had  given  her  a  written  protection  for  her  person, 
house  and  property.  The  English  embarked  next  morning.  Their 
rear  guard  at  departure  finished  the  conflagration  and  burned 
Mrs.  Burr's  house,  though  she  showed  the  written  protection,  they 
damning  Tryon's  protection  and  paying  no  attention  to  it.  Thus 
Gen.  Tryon  laid  in  ashes  all  the  town,  except  perhaps  a  dozen 
buildings,  but  even  these  were  set  fire  to,  but  extinguished  by  our 
people;  and  among  the  rest  not  only  the  meeting  house  and  State 
House,  but  the  Episcopal  church,  were  laid  in  ashes  by  a  member 
of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel. 

On  Thursday  morning  they  departed  for  Fairfield  and  crossed 
over  to  Huntingdon  on  Long  Island  to  refit.  While  at  Fairfield 
they  made  an  excursion  five  or  six  miles  to  Green's  Farms,  which 
they  burned  and  plundered,  also  the  meeting  house  and  dwelling 
of  the  minister,  Rev.  Mr.  Ripley.  A  large  body  of  militia  assem- 
bled around  and  annoyed  and  shortened  their  stay. 

Lord's  day,  evening.  The  fleet  crossed  over  from  Huntingdon 
and  anchored  five  miles  off  the  town  of  Norwalk,  and  about  sun- 
set landed  in  about  twenty  boats.  At  six,  Monday  morning, 


49 


12th  July,  they  marched  for  town.  Major  General  Wolcott  and 
Brigadier  General  Parsons  witli  militia  and  Continentals,  from  900 
to  1,000  opposed  them.  Our  men  gave  way.  The  enemy  entered 
the  town  about  nine  or  ten  A.  M.,  and  immediately  laid  the  town 
in  ashes,  which  was  completed  by  noon  of  12th  instant.  Gen. 
Parsons  judged  the  enemy  2,000  at  Nor  walk.  They  burned  the 
meeting  house  and  Episcopal  church  at  Norwalk — with  this 
blasphemous  and  heaven-daring  expression  at  setting  fire  to  the 
latter,  "  Now  God  Almighty  come  and  defend  your  own  house." 
The  enemy  ascribed  the  burning  of  this  place  of  worship  to 
accident  and  as  unavoidable  from  the  vicinity  to  other  buildings. 
But  here  at  Norwalk  the  Episcopal  minister's  house,  the  nearest 
to  the  church,  was  indeed  set  on  fire  just  at  departure,  but  extin- 
guished by  our  people,  though  the  church  could  not  be  saved. 
They  embarked  immediately,  having  in  seven  days,  from  Monday 
morning,  5th,  to  Monday,  12th,  or  in  one  week,  visited  three  cap- 
ital towns  on  the  Connecticut  sea  coast,  burnt  three  meeting 
houses  and  two  Episcopal  churches,  eighty  or  ninety  dwellings  in 
Fairfield,  one  hundred  and  thirty  in  Norwalk,  and  plundered  and 
desolated  to  an  amount  of  damage  rendered  in  to  Gov.  Trumbull 
of  about  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling.  This  is  a  taste 
of  British  clemency.  The  same  week  the  main  body  of  the 
army,  under  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  of  6,000  or  8,000  men  with 
twelve  field  pieces  and  perhaps  five  hundred  horses,  had  advanced 
to  the  heights  on  the  west  at  Byrara  River,  and  within  a  mile  of 
Horse  Neck,  whence  they  sent  a  detachment  and  burned  Bed- 
ford. Here  they  burned  the  meeting  house  as  a  little  before 

they  burned  the  meeting  house  at .  So  they  have  burned 

seven  places  of  public  worship  within  a  few  days.  Arise,  O 
God !  Soon  after  these  operations  all  retreated  and  drew  in 
towards  King's  Bridge. 

Sir  George  Collier  in  his  letter  to  the  ministry,  July  27th,  says 
"  the  land  forces  under  Maj.  Gen.  Tryon  in  this  expedition  were 
2,600  men.  The  number  of  killed,  wounded  and  missing  on  our 
(King)  side  amount  to  56."  Assigns  our  firing  from  windows  as 
cause  of  burning.  Not  a  fact. 

Account  of  conflagrations  of  New  Haven,  East  Haven,  Fair- 
field,  Green's  Farm  and  Norwalk  ascertained  by  order  of  Gov. 
Trumbull : 


Dwellings. 

Barns. 

Stores. 

Shops. 

Vessels. 

Mills. 

New  Haven,   .  

6 

7 

East   Haven,  

8 

3 

Fairfield, 

82 

55 

15 

15 

Green's  Farm, 

15 

11 

Norwalk,  

135 

89 

15 

25 

5 

4 

240 

158 

36 

40 

12 

4 

and  2,000  bushels  of  wheat. 


50 

July  llth,  1779.  Lord's  day.  So  many  had  left  the  town  that 
two  congregations  agreed  to  meet  together  in  forenoon  at  Mr. 
Edwards'  meeting,  p.  M.,  Mr.  Whittlesey.  I  was  to  preach  A. 
M.,  but  was  interrupted  in  middle  of  sermon  with  news  of  burn- 
ing of  Norwalk  on  enemy's  landing.  Congregation  broke  up  and 
spent  the  day  moving  furniture  and  effects. 

July  13th.  Mr.  Tutor  Baldwin  came  yesterday  morning  from 
Norwalk.  Place  in  ruins. 

July  14th.  I  went  to  Carmel  and  Cheshire  and  put  my  chil- 
dren to  board. 

July  17th.     Writing  the  Sieur  Gerard  diploma. 

July  18th.  Lord's  day.  News  of  the  taking  of  Stony  Point 
Fort  Friday  morning,  16th  inst.,  and  garrison  of  500  men.  I 
preached  for  Mr.  Whittlesey,  p.  M.,  Rev.  xii-11.  At  seven  this 
evening  Gen.  Glover's  Continental  Brigade  came  into  town.  He 
told  me  Dr.  Johnson  would  be  for  encouraging  an  application  to 
Gen.  Tryon  by  town  of  Stratford  offering  neutrality. 

July  20th.  Town  meeting  held  in  New  Haven  and  sent  to 
Gov.  Trumbull  for  troops  to  be  sent  here. 

July  21st.    Enemy  left  Byram  River  last  Lord's  day,  18th  inst. 

July  22d.     Most  vigorous  operations  of  the  war  everywhere. 

July  23d.  Copying  diplomas  on  parchment.  Gov.  Trumbull 
sent  for  our  sufferings  (sic),  but  160  troops  here.  Col.  Sage — 
2,000  at  New  London  under  Gen.  Tylei*. 

July  25th.  Loi-d's  day.  I  preached  at  West  Haven  for  Rev. 
Mr.  Williston,  who  broke  his  leg  in  escaping  from  the  enemy  at 
landing  there. 

July  26th.  Gen.  Ward  came  to  town ;  stationed  here  militia ; 
ordered  down  to  the  sea  coast.  Maj.  Gen.  Wolcott  commands  from 
Byram  River  to  Stratford  particularly  and  generally  through  the 
State ;  Brig.  Gen.  Ward  for  Stratford  from  Stratford  to  Saybrook  ; 
Brig.  Gen.  Tyler  thence  to  Paucatuck;  perhaps  4,000  militia 
actually  in  this  division  at  this  time. 

July  27th.  Mr.  Tutor  Atwater  set  off  with  diplomas  to  be  signed 
by  the  corporation.  Went  to  East  Haven  with  Gen.  Ward  and  Col. 
Sage  to  reconnoiter  Beacon  Hill,  etc.,  for  fortifications.  At  Mor- 
ris's recovered  some  of  President  Clapp's  College  MSS.,  took  up 
by  a  boat  at  sea  off  against  Fairfield  the  night  of  enemy's  land- 
ing there.  The  enemy  threw  overboard  a  large  chest  of  his  MSS., 
now  lamentably  and  irrecoverably  lost.  A  treasure  of  great 
value.  [See  President  Stiles'  and  General  Tryon's  Correspondence 
in  Clapp  MSS. 

July  29th.  Visited  Rev.  Messrs.  Arms  and  Goodrich  (sic)  in 
consultation  of  College  affairs.  The  morning  of  the  enemy's 
landing  I  dismissed  the  students  till  further  orders. 

Aug.  1st.   Lord's  day.    I  preached  for  Mr.  Edwards;  sick  A.  M. 

Aug.  3d.  New  Haven  militia  received  half  want  arms.  Forti- 
fying the  town. 

Aug.  8th.  I  preached  at  Carmel  and  admitted  five  persons  in 
full  communion. 


51 

Aug.  9th.     I  find  all  the  parishes  agree  to  a  fast. 

Aug.  1  Oth.  Bro't  home  this  MSS.  yesterday.  This  day  fin- 
ished the  Sieur  Gerard  diploma  and  sent  it  by  the  post  to  the 
care  of  Hon.  Henry  Merchant,  Esq.,  Delegate  to  Rhode  Island  to 
Congress,  Philadelphia. 

Aug.  27th.     Flag  returned  with  nine  New  Haven  prisoners. 

The  following  is  the  letter  of  President  Stiles  of  Yale  College, 
(found  in  his  diary)  to  General  Tryon,  making  enquiry  for  the 
manuscripts  of  President  Clapp*  of  Yale,  which  were  carried 
away  in  the  British  fleet  from  N  e w  Haven : 

[Copy.] 

NEW  HAVEN,  July  14th,  1779. 

Sir :  The  troops  of  the  separate  expedition  under  your  Excel- 
lency's command,  when  they  left  New  Haven,  on  the  6th  inst., 
carried  away  with  them  among  other  things,  the  papers  MSS.  of 
the  Rev.  President  Clapp,  the  late  head  of  this  seat  of  learning. 
They  were  in  the  hands  of  his  daughter  Mrs.  Wooster,  lady  of 
the  late  General  Wooster,  and  lodged  in  the  general's  house. 
Among  them,  besides  some  compositions,  were  letters  and  papers 
of  consequence  respecting  the  college  which  can  be  of  no  service 
to  the  present  possessor.  This  waits  upon  you,  sir,  to  request  this 
box  of  MSS.,  which  can  have  no  respect  to  the  present  times,  as 
Mr.  Clapp  died  in  1767.  A  war  against  science  has  been  repro- 
bated for  ages  by  the  wisest  and  most  powerful  generals.  The 
irreparable  loss  sustained  by  the of  letters  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Alexandrian  Library  and  other  ancient  monuments  of 
literature  have  generously  prompted  the  victorious  commander  of 
modern  ages  to  exempt  these  monuments  from  ravages  and  deso- 
lation inseparable  from  the  highest  rigour  of  war.  I  beg  leave 
upon  this  occasion  to  address  myself  only  to  the  principles  of 
politeness  and  honor,  humbly  asking  the  return  of  those  MSS., 
which  to  others  will  be  useless — to  us  valuable.  I  am,  sir,  Your 
Excellency's  most  obedient  and  very  humble  servant. 

EZRA  STILES,  President. 

His  Excellency  Major  General  Tryon. 

Sent  by  Captain  Sabin,  August  17,  1779. 

GOVERNOR  TRYON'S  LETTER  IN  ANSWER. 
[Copy.] 

NEW  YORK,  25th  Sept.,  1779. 

Sir :  Disposed  by  principle  as  well  as  inclination  to  prevent  the 
violence  of  war  from  injuring  the  right  of  the  republic  of  learn- 
ing, I  very  much  approve  of  your  solicitude  for  the  preservation 

*  Spelled  with  two  Ps  in  the  Stiles  Diary. 


52 

of  Mr.  Clapp's  MSS.  Had  they  been  found  here  they  should 
most  certainly  have  been  restored  as  you  desire,  but  after  dili- 
gent inquiry  I  can  learn  nothing  concerning  them.  The  officer  of 
the  party  at  the  house  where  the  box  is  supposed  to  have  been 
deposited  has  been  examined,  and  does  not  remember  to  have  seen 
it,  nor  apprehends  that  any  such  papers  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
soldiery.  I  Avould  therefore  indulge  a  hope  that  better  care  has 
been  taken  of  the  collection  than  you  were  led  to  imagine  at  the 
date  of  your  letter.  This,  however,  will  not  abate  my  attention 
and  inquiry,  nor  shall  I,  if  I  succeed,  omit  the  gratification  of  your 
wishes. 

I  am,  sir,  your  very  obedient  servant, 

WM.  TRYON. 

To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ezra  Stiles,  President  of  Yale  College 
at  New  Haven. 

Received  Oct.  21,  1779. 

PRESIDENT  STILES'  ANSWER. 
[Copy.] 

YALE  COLLEGE,  Dec.  14,  1779. 

Sir :  The  latter  end  of  October  last  I  received  your  letter  of 
25th  September.  It  is  unnecessary  for  you  to  make  any  further 
inquiry  respecting  President  Clapp's  manuscript.  Capt.  Boss- 
well  of  the  Guard,  while  here  on  the  fatal  5th  of  July  last, 
showed  some  of  them  in  town,  which  he  said  he  had  taken  from 
Gen.  Wooster's  house,  and  it  is  presumed  that  he  well  knows  the 
accident  which  befell  the  rest.  Your  troops  carried  away  from 
Mrs.  Wooster's  a  box  and  two  large  trunks  of  paper.  One  of 
them  was  a  trunk  of  papers  which  the  General  took  to  Canada, 
the  others  were  his  own  and  the  President's.  On  the  night  of  the 
the  conflagration  of  Fail-field  three  whale  boats  of  our  people  on 
their  way  from  Norwalk  to  the  eastward  passed  by  your  fleet  at 
anchor  off  Fairfield  (then  in  flames),  sailed  through  a  little  ocean 
of  floating  papers,  not  far  from  your  shipping.  They  took  up 
some  of  them  as  they  passed.  1  have  since  separated  and  reduced 
them  all  to  three  sorts  and  no  more,  viz :  Gen.  Wooster's  own 
papers,  Gen.  Carlton's  French  Commissions  and  orders  to  the 
Canadian  Milita,  and  Mr.  Clapp's,  a  few  of  which  last  belong  to 
this  College.  This  specimen,  sir,  shows  us  that  the  rest  are  un- 
happily and  irrevocably  lost,  tinless  perhaps  Capt.  Bosswell  might 
have  selected  some  before  the  rest  were  thrown  overboard.  If  so, 
your  polite  attention  to  my  request  convinces  me  that  I  shall  be 
so  fortunate  as  to  recover  such  as  may  have  been  saved. 
I  am,  sir,  your  very  humble  servant, 

EZRA  STILES. 

To  His  Excellency,  Gen.  Tryon,  New  York. 

Sent  by  Major  Harnage  of  the  Saratoga  Convention  Troops. 


53 

The  history  of  New  Haven  never  can  be  properly  written  with- 
out mention  of  the  illustrious  name  of  Hillhouse,  and  as  we  turn 
over  the  pages  of  a  sketch  of  his  life  and  public  services,  by  the 
Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  and  from  which  we  make 
copious  extracts,  this  most  appropriate  inscription  meets  the  eye : 

"  JAMES  HILLHOUSE  " 

THE  STATESMAN,  THE  PATRIOT,  THE  CHRISTIAN, 

Born  Oct.  21st,  1754.     Died  Dec.  29th,  1832. 
He  lives  in  the  affection  of  his  countrymen,  and  his  deeds  are  his  monuments." 

We  will  not  .enlarge  on  this  gentleman's  ancestry,  which  was 
second  to  none  in  New  England,  and  the  part  he  took  in 
the  various  engagements  of  July  5th  and  6th  has  been  often 
referred  to  in  former  papers.  We  will  therefore  only  make  brief 
mention  of  fragments  of  facts  and  anecdotes  collected  from 
tradition  and  otherwise,  which  tie  him  most  firmly  to  the  affection 
of  his  townsmen  and  bestow  on  his  memory  the  highest  respect 
his  countrymen  are  able  to  give  him. 

His  efforts  and  stirring  appeal  inviting  enlistment  under  Gover- 
nor TrumbulPs  proclamation,  published  in  New  Haven  papers  of 
June  23d,  17*79—"  To  all  friends  of  American  freedom" — had  their 
weight.  His  brave  conduct  as  captain  of  the  Second  Company 
of  Governor's  Foot  Guards*  of  Connecticut,  and  the  part  he  took 
in  the  resistance  to  the  British,  as  well  as  the  services  of  this 
highly  honorable  corps,  which  history  tells  us  was  the  finest 
body  of  troops  in  America,  both  shall  stand  forth  and  forever 
adorn  the  pages  of  New  Haven's  history. 

Captain  Hillhouse  was  entrusted  by  Governor  Trumbull  with 
the  duty  of  promoting  enlistments  in  one  of  the  brigades.  The 
appeal  above  mentioned  was  published  in  the  Connecticut  Jour- 
nal of  June  23,  1779. 

*  It  will  be  remembered  that  this  splendid  corps,  composed  of  some  of  the  first 
citizens  of  New  Haven,  on  receipt  of  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  marched 
to  Cambridge  under  the  command  of  Captain  Benedict  Arnold,  arriving  just  before 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  were  detailed  to  deliver  the  dead  body  of  an  officer 
to  an  officer  appointed  by  the  British  general  to  receive  it.  This  officer  paid  the 
corps  this  compliment,  that  he  was  astounded  to  find  such  a  splendidly  equipped 
body  of  men,  and  that  their  superior  was  not  to  be  found  in  His  Majesty's  service. 
A  portion  of  this  Company  went  with  Gen.  Arnold  to  Canada  and  marched  through 
Maine  on  their  route. 


54 

(From  the  Connecticut  Journal  of  June  23d,  1779.) 

To  all  Friends  of  American  Freedom : 

The  period  is  now  come,  when,  in  all  probability,  we  may,  with 
proper  exertions,  put  a  speedy  termination  to  the  war.  And 
nothing  is  more  necessary  to  bring  about  so  desirable  an  event 
than  furnishing  a  competent  number  of  men  for  the  field.  The 
encouragement  for  soldiers  to  enlist  is  truly  great,  and  the  offers 
generous.  The  time  of  service  will  most  likely  be  short ;  they  are 
to  suffer  nothing  by  the  depreciation  of  currency ;  their  families 
are  to  be  supplied  with  the  substantial  of  life  at  the  old  price; 
the  army  are  well  clothed,  and  provided  with  everything  neces- 
sary and  convenient ;  and  at  the  end  of  the  war  they  are  to 
receive  a  handsome  reward  for  their  services.  I  am  sensible  our 
internal  foes,  our  worst  enemies,  will  throw  every  discouragement 
in  the  way,  will  tell  you  that  our  money  is  almost  run  out  and 
that  we  must  inevitably  submit.  But  you  may  be  assured  that 
no  exertions  will  be  wanting  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  to 
disappoint  their  expectations.  And  1  am  confident  that  should  it 
ever  be  our  misfortune  to  experience  such  a  calamity,  the  free 
born  sons  of  America  would  arm  themselves  and  go  forth,  without 
hire  or  reward,  against  our  enemies,  and  never  lay  down  their 
arms  till  they  had  driven  every  invader  from  our  land.  Never 
have  the  Americans  been  animated  with  a  beaming  spirit  but  they 
have  been  successful.  No  sooner  were  our  Southern  brethren 
roused  to  proper  exertions  than  they  defeated  the  troops  sent 
upon  an  expedition,  from  the  success  of  which  our  enemies  have 
made  such  pompous  boasts,  and  have  driven  them  off  loaded  with 
infamy  and  disgrace. 

His  Excellency  the  Governor  has  directed  me  to  enlist  all  within 
this  brigade  who  shall  be  so  nobly  and  virtuously  inclined.  It 
being  a  matter  of  public  concern,  I  beg  every  individual  will  use 
his  influence  to  encourage  a  competent  number  to  enlist,  as  it 
will  save  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  a  draft.  And  voluntary 
enlistment  is  certainly  the  most  eligible,  as  it  will  convince  our 
enemies  we  have  not  yet  lost  our  spirits,  and  will  fill  our  brethren, 
already  in  the  field,  with  new  life  and  courage  to  find  us  ready 
with  cheerfulness  to  lend  them  our  aid. 

Lest  there  should  be  any  who  cannot  engage  upon  the  above 
terms,  for  fear  the  war  may  continue  longer  than  they  think  they 
can  possibly  absent  themselves  from  their  families  and  farms,  I 
am  authorized  by  His  Excellency  to  offer  those  who  will  engage 
to  serve  in  said  army  until  the  15th  day  of  January  next,  twenty 
pounds  bounty,  a  new  regimental  coat,  and  the  same  pay,  refresh- 
ment and  family  support,  during  the  term  of  their  services  respect- 
ively, as  other  soldiers  in  the  Continental  army,  with  liberty  to 
choose  the  company  in  which  they  will  be  joined.  And  who  is 
there  that  will  deprive  himself  of  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  he 
would  derive  through  his  whole  life,  from  reflecting  upon  his  hav- 


55 

ing  served  a  campaign  in  so  important  a  period  of  the  war.  I 
hereby  invite  all,  and  shall  make  the  offer  to  as  many  as  possible, 
to  engage  before  the  10th  day  of  July  next,  when  I  am  to  make 
return  to  His  Excellency.  Those  who  incline  to  accept  will,  by 
making  application,  receive  their  bounty  in  bills  and  be  kindly 
treated  by  their  most  obedient  and  humble  servant, 

JAMES  HILLHOUSE. 
New  Haven,  June  21,  1779. 

James  Hillhouse  at  the  time  was  a  member  of  the  family  of 
the  widow  of  James  Abraham  Hillhouse,  Esq.,  to  whom  he  was  a 
near  relative.  Madam  Hillhouse  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  her  political  sympathies  were  with  the  British. 
Hers  was  therefore  one  of  the  few  houses  to  be  protected  from 
pillage.  Some  of  the  British  officers  were  quartered  there,  and 
were  received  with  the  courtesy  due  to  men  who  bore  His  Maj- 
esty's commission.  Yet  the  loyal  lady  was  in  great  danger  from 
the  imputation  of  her  nephew's  patriotism.  It  happened  that  the 
newspaper  containing  Captain  Hillhouse's  patriotic  call  for 
recruits  came  under  the  notice  of  the  officers  almost  as  soon  as 
they  entered  the  house  which  was  to  be  protected  for  its  loyalty. 
The  house  and  its  contents  would  have  been  immediately  given 
up  to  the  plundering  soldiers  had  not  the  lady,  with  a  dignified 
frankness  which  repelled  suspicion,  informed  her  guests  that 
though  the  young  man  whose  name  was  subscribed  to  that  call 
was  a  near  and  valued  relative  of  hers,  and  was  actually  resident 
under  that  roof,  the  property  was  entirely  her  own  ;  and  that  the 
part  which  he  had  taken  in  the  conflict  with  Great  Britain  was 
taken,  not  only  on  his  own  responsibility,  but  in  opposition  to 
her  judgment  and  sympathies. 

New  Haven's  leafy,  arched  streets  are  known  to  every  one,  and 
most  of  the  old  magnificent  elms  around  the  Green  and  colleges, 
and  through  Temple  street  and  Hillhouse  avenue,  were  trans- 
planted by  the  Hon.  James  Hillhouse  from  his  beautiful  estate, 
which  was  on  the  northern  outskirts  of  the  town.  While  Mr.  H. 
and  his  men  were  thus  employed,  a  neighbor  passed  and  remarked, 
"  Hillhouse,  you  will  never  live  to  see  these  trees  large  enough  for 
shade."  Mr.  Hillhouse  replied,  "But  some  one  else  will,"  and 
this  little  incident  gives  his  character.  He  lived  for  others. 

The  following  incident  will  be  of  interest :  "  In  connection  with 
Mr.  Hillhouse's  superintendence  of  the  Hartford  and  New  Haven 
turnpike,  a  story  is  extant  which,  if  it  is  only  a  myth,  is  never- 


56 

theless  worth  repeating.  The  tradition  is  that  while  Mr.  H.  was 
working  the  road,  he  was  visited  by  Gen.  Wade  Hampton,  of 
South  Carolina,  one  of  his  associates  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. Of  course  it  was  a  part  of  the  '  Sachem's '  hospitality  to 
show  his  Southern  friend  the  great  work  that  was  in  progress. 
The  well-trained  oxen,  as  well  as  other  things  that  he  saw,  were 
much  admired  by  the  stranger.  '  See,'  said  he  to  the  negro  ser- 
vant who  attended  him,  'how  those  oxen  work!  Tom!  they 
know  more  than  you  do.'  '  Oh !  mas'r,'  said  the  negro  in  reply, 
'dem.  ar  oxen  has  had  a  Yankee  bringing  up.' '' 

The  following  is  one  of  the  incidents  of  the  invasion,  also  hap- 
pily preserved  :  "It  was  'at  the  second  mile  stone,'  just  where 
the  road  to  West  Haven  diverges  from  the  Milford  road,  that  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Daggett,  Professor  of  Divinity  in  Yale  College  (and  the 
acting  president  for  nine  years  before  the  accession  of  Dr.  Stiles) 
encountered  the  enemy.  He  had  come  from  the  town,  riding 
furiously  on  his  old  black  mare,  with  his  long  fowling  piece  in  his 
hand.  At  the  bridge  he  had  addressed  a  few  'patriotic  and  earn- 
est' words  to  the  little  company  that  was  to  serve  the  artillery. 
Rushing  by  the  company  of  young  men  under  Capt.  Hillhouse, 
several  of  them  students,  he  was  greeted  with  cheers.  As  they 
turned  southward  toward  West  Haven,  they  saw  him  ascending 
a  little  to  the  west,  and  taking  his  station  deliberately  in  a  little 
copse  of  woods.  When  the  young  men,  having  driven  back  the 
advanced  guard  and  encountered  the  main  body  of  the  enemy, 
were  making  their  hasty  retreat  to  regain  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  the  professor,  who  had  never  learned  to  '  advance  back- 
ward,' kept  his  station  with  characteristic  fearlessness  and  tenac- 
ity, waiting  for  the  enemy.  As  the  British  column  came  up, 
several  successive  shots  from  the  hillside  arrested  their  attention, 
and  the  sturdy  form  of  the  professor  in  his  clei'ical  costume  was 
easily  discerned  by  the  party  sent  to  the  spot  whence  the  firing 
proceeded.  '  What  are  you  doing  there,  you  old  fool,  firing  on 
His  Majesty's  troops?'  was  the  exclamation  of  the  officer.  'Exer- 
cising the  rights  of  war,'  replied  the  professor.  The  oddity  of 
such  an  answer,  proceeding  from  such  a  person,  probably  arrested 
the  shot  or  the  bayonet  that  might  have  killed  him  on  the  instant ; 
and  the  question  was  put  whether,  if  his  life  was  spared,  he  would 
be  likely  to  do  such  a  thing  again.  'Nothing  more  likely,'  said 
he,  'I  rather  think  I  should.'  He  was  permitted  to  surrender 
himself,  but  was  cruelly  pierced  with* bayonets  and  driven  at  the 


57 

head  of  the  column  until  they  reached  the  town.  For  a  month 
afterward  his  life  was  in  danger  from  the  wounds  and  injuries 
which  he  had  received,  and  indeed,  his  death  which  took  place 
in  the  following  year,  was  hastened  by  those  sufferings.  See  the 
article  on  Prof.  Daggett  in  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American 
Pulpit,  Vol.  1. 

The  following  episode  may  also  be  of  interest.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  it  was  customary  in  all  New  England  towns  to  keep  Sat- 
urday nights  with  great  strictness,  but  Sunday  night  was  treated 
for  business  purposes  the  same  as  any  other  evening  of  the  week. 
It  was  now  the  third  anniversary  of  American  independence. 
New  Haven  had  never  celebrated  this  great  event,  as  other  cities 
and  towns  of  importance  had  done.  The  patriots  of  New  Haven, 
had  decided  to  have  a  celebration  this  time.  The  Fourth  of  July 
came  on  Sunday.  A  meeting  was  therefore  held  in  the  "old  mid- 
dle brick  church"  at  sundown  Sunday,  to  make  arrangements  and  a 
programme  for  the  intended  celebration.  When  everything  was  all 
arranged  it  was  decided  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  for  the 
Second  Company  Governor's  Foot  Guards,  which  was  made  up 
of  both  patriots  and  loyalists,  to  escort  or  lead  the  grand  proces- 
sion on  their  march  to  the  Green,  where  orations  and  proper 
ceremonies  befitting  such  an  anniversary  would  take  place. 
Delegations  from  the  adjoining  towns  were  expected  and  the 
whole  programme  was  successfully  arranged.  The  Guards  were 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Hillhouse,  and  the  militia  which 
were  to  participate,  were  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Colo- 
nel Sabin,  the  recognized  commander  of  the  militia  of  this  district. 
The  inhabitants  had  quietly  retired,  when  at  about  ten  o'clock  the 
booming  of  a  signal  gun  announced  the  approach  of  the  enemy. 
It  was  then  supposed  that  a  fleet  which  had  been  observed  in  the 
Sound  a  day  or  two  before,  and  was  supposed  bound  to  Newport  or 
New  London  was  merely  passing.  Daylight  came  and  imagine  the 
surprise  and  consternation  of  everybody,  and  especially  the  loy- 
alist members  of  the  Foot  Guards  when  it  was  discovered  by 
parties  with  spy  glasses  on  the  tower  of  Yale  College,  that  the 
enemy  had  landed.  The  loyalists  were  compelled  by  pride  to 
march  forth  to  assist  in  the  defence,  which  they  did  without 
flinching. 

Thos.  R.  Trowbridge,  Esq.,  senior  partner  of  the  house  of  Messrs. 
H.  Trowbridge's  Sons,  shipping  merchants,  and  President  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  gives  me  the  following  reminiscences: 


58 

When  it  was  found  that  the  enemy  were  surely  making  a  descent 
upon  the  town,  Mr.  Rutherford  Trowbridge,  grandfather  of  Mr. 
Trowbridge,  who  lived  in  a  fine  brick  mansion  across  the  Dyke 
(corner  of  Columbus  and  West  Water  street,  still  to  be  seen), 
hurried  his  family,  which  consisted  of  his  wife  and  several  young 
children,  most  of  them  daughters,  into  a  boat  and  sent  them  up 
the  Quinnipiac  River  to  North  Haven,  to  the  house  of  a  friend, 
where  they  remained  until  the  enemy  left  town.  As  soon  as  his  fam- 
ily were  out  of  harm's  way,  Mr.  T.  started  with  his  musket  (now  in 
the  Historical  Society  Museum)  and  joined  the  company  under 
the  brave  Capt.  Hillhouse,  and  with  other  patriots  met  the  enemy 
at  2d  mile  stone  and  disputed  every  step  of  their  advance  into 
town.  Mr.  Trowbridge's  family  left  in  such  a  hurry  that  they 
did  not  take  the  bread  from  the  oven,  which  was  found  "well 
done"  on  their  return,  and  everything  in  the  house  was  intact,  just 
as  it  was  left.  The  reason  their  house  was  not  plundered  was  that 
Capt.  Rice,  a  gentleman  loyal  to  the  King  and  crown,  and  a  par- 
ticular friend  of  Mr.  Trowbridge,  interceded  for  his  neighbor's 
property  and  saved  it.  Mr.  Thomas  R.  TroAvbridge  is  the  seventh 
in  descent  from  "Thomas  Trowbridge,"  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  New  Haven  Colony  under  Gov.  Eaton,  1638-9. 

Some  new  facts  have  been  lately  elicited  from  members  of  the 
Tuttle  family  in  regard  to  the  diabolical  murder  of  Mr.  Elisha 
Tuttle  in  Broadway  on  the  afternoon  of  July  5th,  1779.  Mr.  T. 
was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Wm.  Tuttle,  who  came  out  with  Gov. 
Eaton  from  Somerset  county  in  1638-9.  His  family  owned  the 
site  of  Christ  church,  and  it  was  here  that  he  was  spending  his 
time  while  on  a  visit  to  New  Haven.  His  mind  had  been  im- 
paired by  a  shock  occasioned  by  the  burning  and  destruction  of 
his  home  on  the  frontiers  of  New  York  and  Canada  by  the  British 
and  Indians,  and  the  murder  of  his  wife  and  children  while  he  was 
on  a  visit  the  year  before  to  his  friends  in  New  Haven.  A  daughter 
alone  remained,  and  she  was  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  the  savages. 
Mr.  T.,  after  fruitless  search  for  his  child,  returned  to  his  native 
town,  a  discouraged  and  ruined  man.  While  the  enemy  were 
advancing,  and  as  they  passed  down  Broadway,  he  was  kept 
quiet  by  one  of  the  family  and  had  been  left  for  only  a  moment, 
when  he  espied  a  party  of  British  soldiers  out  of  the  window, 
and  thus  inspired  by  revenge,  his  crazed  brain  prompted  him  to 
seize  an  old  rusty  and  unloaded  musket  and  rushing  into  the 
street,  he  pointed  the  musket  at  the  party.  The  neighbors  tried 


59 

to  stop  him  and  called  to  the  soldiers  that  the  poor  man  was 
deranged,  but  they  all,  more  or  less  under  the  influence  of  rum, 
heeded  not,  and  as  he  could  not  speak  they  pried  open  his  mouth 
with  a  bayonet  while  on  the  ground  where  he  had  fallen  in  a 
scuffle,  and  then  one  of  them  was  brute  enough  to  cut  out  his 
tongue.  The  late  Stephen  D.  Pardee,  Esq.,  for  many  years  the 
honored  treasurer  of  the  New  Haven  Savings  Bank,  was  a  grand- 
nephew  of  Mr.  Tuttle.  Charles  Dickerman,  Esq.,  of  Howe  street, 
is  also  a  grandnephew. 

The  following  interesting  reminiscences  are  given  by  Dr.  Levi 
Ives.  His  grandfather,  Dr.  Levi  Ives,  was  a  surgeon  during  the 
Revolution  and  attached  to  a  Connecticut  regiment,  and  was 
with  it  during  the  attack  on  Quebec  under  General  Montgomery, 
where  the  latter  was  slain.  Dr.  Ives  lived  at  the  time  of  the 
invasion  in  Broadway,  second  house  east  of  Mr.  Eleazar  Fitch's. 
The  old  "lean-to"  house  is  now  standing  and  in  it  Dr.  Levi's 
father,  the  late  Prof.  Eli  Ives  of  Yale  College,  was  born,  and  in 
1779  was  one  year  old.  About  ten  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the 
4th  of  July,  Dr.  Ives  had  retired  and  was  sound  asleep  when  the 
first  alarm  gun  was  fired  announcing  the  approach  of  the  enemy. 
Mrs.  Ives  called  him  and  soon  a  second  and  third  gun  followed. 
Dr.  Ives  at  once  ordered  his  servant  to  take  his  wife  and  child  in 
the  gig  to  the  house  of  a  relative  in  North  Haven,  and  at  day- 
light, the  doctor  and  Mr.  Mansfield,  father  of  Major  Benjamin 
Mansfield,  joined  others  and  went  with  Captain  Hillhouse  to 
meet  the  invaders  at  Allingtowu,  where  they  both  commenced 
flighting  on  their  own  hook  behind  a  stone  wall.  Gen.  Garth 
sent  a  detachment  to  cut  this  party  off.  One  of  them  (Mansfield) 
happened  to  look  around,  and  saw  the  foe  before  and  behind. 
They  ran  behind  a  large  chestnut  tree,  just  as  a  whole  volley 
was  fired  at  them,  the  bullets  cutting  the  limbs  of  the  tree  and 
showering  them  with  leaves  and  twigs.  They  then  ran  and 
joined  their  comrades  without  receiving  a  wound. 

Mr.  Beers,  who  was  murdered  as  before  noticed,  was  a  great 
grandfather  of  Dr.  Levi  Ives.  His  son  was  Captain  Nathan 
Beers,  an  old  Governor's  Foot  Guard,  who  was  guard  over  Andre 
the  night  before  the  execution  of  that  officer,  and  to  whom  Andre 
presented  a  sketch  of  himself  drawn  in  pen  and  ink  before  a  glass, 
which  was  presented  by  Captain  Beers  to  Yale  College.  The 
said  Captain  Nathan  Beers  was  father  of  the  late  Isaac  Beers, 
Esq.,  and  Prof.  Timothy  Beers  of  Yale  College,  of  this  city. 


60 

Dr.  Ives  mentions  the  fact  (more  fully  related  hereafter),  that 
Squire  Painter,  of  West  Haven,  went  with  some  of  his  neigh- 
bors at  daylight,  July  5th,  to  Savin  Rock  to  meet  the  enemy, 
and  as  they  landed  he  lay  flat  on  the  ground  and  fired  upon 
them.  Dr.  Ives  says  the  season  was  so  far  advanced  that 
Indian  corn  was  high  enough  for  the  Patriots  to  mask  themselve8 
in  and  fire  on  the  regulars  as  they  marched  from  West  Haven  to 
Hotchkisstown  (now  Westville).*  He  also  tells  of  a  little  discus- 
sion which  the  Hon.  Eleazar  Goodrich,  father  of  Prof.  Goodrich, 
had  with  a  British  soldier  concerning  a  certain  musket  the  soldier 
was  armed  with  while  on  duty  in  the  town,  the  afternoon  of  its 
capture.  Mr.  G.  lay  wounded  in  his  uncle  Charles  Chauncey's 
house.  The  soldier  seeing  him,  stabbed  him  with  his  bayonet. 
Goodrich  being  a  very  powerful  man  wrenched  the  loaded  mus- 
ket from  the  soldier,  throwing  him  on  the  floor  and  there  held 
him,  expecting  assistance  from  some  of  his  neighbors.  Just 
at  that  moment  several  British  soldiers  entered  and  rushed  upon 
Goodrich,  who  at  once  called  out,  "  I  surrender !"  and  they  were 
about  dispatching  him  when  the  soldier  from  whom  he  had  taken 
the  musket  called  out,  "You  have  saved  my  life  and  I  will 
yours,"  and  Mr.  G.  was  told  he  could  go,  much  to  his  surprise  and 
satisfaction. 

I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  George  B.  Bassett,  of  Orange  street,  for 
the  following  :  His  great-grandfather  was  James  Bassett,  son  of 
John  Bassett,  who  moved  out  of  town  to  his  estate  on  Hamden 
Plains,  and  built  the  fine  old  residence  known  as  the  Bassett 
House,  where  his  son  James  was  born  in  1724,  and  which  was 
pulled  down  about  three  years  since.  The  house  was  built  in  the 
year  1720,  and  was  a  fine  two-story  lean-to  house,  situated  on  the 
right-hand  side  as  one  drives  toward  Centerville.  The  aforesaid 
James  Bassett  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  William  Bassett  of  the 
New  Haven  colony,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  one  of  that 
name  who  came  to  New  Plymouth  in  New  England  in  1621.  Mr. 
James  Bassett  had  three  sons,  viz :  James,  Timothy  and  John. 
James  and  Timothy  served  in  the  Continental  army  during  the 
revolution,  and,  just  previous  to  the  invasion  of  New  Haven,  we 
find  James  serving  in  a  Connecticut  regiment  in  New  York  state, 

*  Mr.  Charles  Dicker-man  says  his  father  was  in  the  engagement  at  Alliugtown, 
and  when  the  enemy  had  passed  the  bridge,  he  went  on  West  Rock,  and  looking 
down  on  the  scene,  lie  observed  the  patriots  masked  in  the  corn  and  firing  on  the 
enemy. 


61 

where  two  years  before  he  had  witnessed  the  surrender  of  Lieu- 
tenant General  Burgoyne  and  his  army  to  the  fortunate  Major- 
General  Gates.  I  say  fortunate,  because  it  was  the  opinion  of 
many  who  were  present  and  were  eye-witnesses  of  the  several 
engagements  preceding  the  surrender,  that  nothing  but  the  great 
energy  and  daring  of  General  Benedict  Arnold  (the  Captain 
Arnold  of  the  old  Governor's  Foot  Guards  of  New  Haven), 
brought  about  the  capture  of  this  army  of  between  5,000  and 
6,000  men,  which  frustrated  the  well  laid  plans  of  Sir  Henry  Clin- 
ton to  march  an  army  from  Canada  via  North  river  to  New  York 
and  thus,  sever  New  England  from  the  other  colonies.  This 
James  Bassett  and  his  brother  Timothy  happened  both  to  be  at 
home  on  a  furlough,  and  when  the  alarm  guns  were  fired,  which 
at  daylight  (morning  of  July  5)  announced  the  actual  landing  of 
the  enemy  at  Savin  Rock  and  East  Haven,  they  took  down  their 
muskets  from  the  hooks  over  the  fire-place  in  the  kitchen,  and 
went  forth  to  join  their  townsmen,  who  were  mustering  on  the 
Green  before  the  middle  brick  meeting-house.  They  were  in  all 
the  engagements  from  West  Haven  to  the  Ditch  Corner,  where 
both  were  wounded.  James  had  his  arm  broken  with  a  ball,  and 
was  carried  home  behind  a  neighbor  on  horseback.  He  reported 
to  his  father  that  Timothy  was  shot  dead  in  the  same  battle,  as 
he  had  seen  him  fall.  It  seems  that  at  the  Ditch  Corner  the 
patriots  made  a  stand.  James  was  wounded  as  before  mentioned, 
and  Timothy,  grandfather  of  Mr.  George  B.  Bassett,  was  shot 
through  the  body,  the  ball  lodging  in  the  back  of  his  waistcoat 
which  he  kept  until  his  death.  As  he  lay  wounded,  a  British  sol- 
dier stripped  him  of  his  silver  shoe-buckles,  and  was  about  knock- 
ing out  his  brains  with  his  musket  when  Chandler  came  up  and 
said,  "  That  man  has  his  death  wound  ;  let  him  alone.  I  have 
hunted  foxes  with  him  many  a  time."  And  so  they  passed  on  into 
the  town.  He  was  soon  taken  from  the  road  where  he  had  fallen 
to  a  house  near,  and  a  friend  reported  to  his  father  that  he  was 
dead.  The  next  day,  the  British  having  evacuated  the  town,  his 
father  took  his  chaise  and  drove  to  the  house  for  his  son's  body 
and  found  him  living.  He  was  at  once  put  into  the  chaise  and 
carried  home,  his  father  leading  the  horse,  and  two  friends  accom- 
panying him,  one  on  each  side  to  lift  the  chaise  over  the  rough 
places  on  the  road.  He  was  laid  up  with  his  wound  for  more 
than  a  year,  but  lived  many  years,  dying  aged  60. 

This  Timothy  Bassett  was  stationed  at  West  Point  and  assisted 
9 


62 

in  building  Fort  Putnam.  It  was  commenced  in  the  winter; 
the  weather  was  very  severe  and  the  soldiers  picked  dry  cat-tails 
and  stuffed  their  blankets  with  them  to  keep  out  the  cold. 

Among  the  brave  defenders  of  New  Haven  was  David  Atwater, 
of  Cedar  Hill,  Hamden,  whose  wife  Elizabeth,  was  a  cousin  of  the 
Bassetts  of  Hamden  Plains.  These  two  families  had  their  grants 
of  land  north  of  the  town,  several  hundred  acres  each,  between 
Quinnipiac  and  Mill  rivers  and  East  Rock,  at  one  time;  and  the 
Neck  (Fair  Haven  West),  was  on  the  Atwater  grant.  This  David 
Atwater  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Joshua  Atwater,  from  County 
Kent,  England,  the  first  treasurer  of  New  Haven  Colony  under 
Governor  Eaton.  On  the  morning  of  the  invasion  this  David 
Atwater  took  his  Dutch  horse  and  whiffletree,  and  with  some  of  his 
friends  went  to  an  armed  vessel  which  was  laying  at  the  wharf, 
and  dismounted  one  of  its  six-pound  brass  guns  (an  old  Spanish 
piece),  and  hitching  his  horse  to  it,  drew  it  out  to  West  Bridge, 
and  there  mounted  it  with  stone  and  rails  from  the  fence  and  fired 
several  shots  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  On  account  of  this 
and  the  bridge  being  taken  up,  the  enemy  decided  to  cross  the 
West  river  higher  up  on  the  Derby  road,  and  the  gun  was  drawn 
across  the  fields  and  fired  several  times  with  good  effect,  and 
finally  abandoned  about  the  Ditch  Corner  after  having  been 
spiked. 

The  citizens  of  the  towns  of  Woodbridge  and  Bethany  seem  to 
have  been  exceedingly  patriotic,  but  none  more  so  than  the  fami- 
lies of  Sperry  of  Woodbridge.  Mr.  Simeon  Sperry  was  grand- 
father of  two  ol  our  most  honored  citizens,  ex-Mayor  Sperry  and 
the  Hon.  N.  D.  Sperry.  The  latter  for  the  past  eighteen  years  has 
been  postmaster  of  this  city,  and  now  the  longest  in  office  in  the 
United  States,  whose  accounts  the  United  States  Auditor  tells  us 
have  never  been  short  one  cent.  Simeon  Sperry  was  descended 
from  Richard  Sperry,  of  the  New  Haven  Colony,  whose  grant  of 
land  was  at  or  near  Hatchet  harbor  and  the  Judge's  Cave  on 
West  Rock,  and  who  was  made  famous  in  Colonial  history  for 
supplying  food  to  the  Regicides,  Goffe  and  Whalley.*  The  pioneer, 

*  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  two  of  the  finest  streets  radiating  from  Broad- 
way (old  Ditch  Corner)  towards  the  Sperry  estates  where  the  Regicides  found 
refuge,  are  named  Goflfe  and  Whalley  avenues,  and  they  are  now  banded  together, 
(as  the  Regicides  were  by  friendship,  more  than  200  years  ago),  by  a  street, 
bearing  the  name  of  their  protector  and  provider,  Richard  Sperry,  the  first  white 
man  living  within  the  beautiful  and  picturesque  town  of  Woodbridge. 


63 

Mr.  Richard  Sperry,  resided  in  the  famous  old  moated  manor 
house  in  Woodbridge,  which  was  approached  in  colonial  times  by 
a  long  causeway  leading  across  his  estate  from  the  river.  On 
these  estates  is  the  celebrated  "  Ravine "  noted  for  its  former 
woolen  manufactories  successfully  conducted  by  the  Sperrys,  and 
forming  a  part  of  one  of  the  wildest  and  most  romantic  bits 
of  scenery  in  New  England. 

On  the  morning  of  the  invasion  Mr.  Sperry,  with  his  neighbors, 
the  Lines',  Perkins'  and  Merwins,  shouldered  their  muskets  and 
marched  to  Allingtown,  and  there  joined  Captain  Hillhouse's  and 
ex-President  Daggett's  companies  in  disputing  the  enemy's  ad- 
vance into  town,  and  it  was  this  detachment,  tradition  informs  us, 
that  saved  the  powder  mills  and  captured  a  large  body  of  the 
enemy,  mostly  Hessians. 

The  father  of  these  gentlemen  also  assisted  in  erecting  the 
earthworks  on  Beacon  hill,  then  called  Fort  Treadwell  and  after- 
wards Fort  Wooster,  after  the  lamented  Major  General  Wooster, 
killed  by  the  British  at  Danbury. 


Captain  C.  H.  Town  send,  Dear  Sir: — Thinking  that  it  might  be  of  some  interest, 
and  perhaps  also  of  some  use  to  you,  I  have  made  some  extracts  from  an  unpub- 
lished history  of  West  Haven,  and  life  of  my  grandfather,  Captain  Thomas  Pain- 
ter, giving  some  account  of  the  landing  of  the  British  in  this  place,  as  seen  by 
himself  when  a  youth  of  nineteen  years. 

Respectfully  yours,  D.  C.  COLLINS. 

West  Haven,  May  27th,  '79. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THOMAS  PAINTER,  ESQ. 

"About  the  first  of  March,  in  the  year  1779,  I  enlisted  in  a 
company  of  artillery  under  the  command  of  Captain  Bradley, 
which  had  been  raised  and  stationed  in  and  about  New  Haven  for 
the  defence  of  the  town.  The  company  was  divided  into  three 
portions — one  for  the  East  Haven  side  of  the  harbor,  one  for  the 
West  Haven  side  and  one  for  New  Haven  itself.  My  place  of 
service  was  my  native  village  (West  Haven)  under  the  immediate 
command  of  Lieutenant  Azil  Kimberly. 

While  I  was  serving  in  this  company,  the  enemy  paid  us  a  visit 
early  in  the  month  of  July,  landing  at  the  "  Old  Field  "  shore. 
The  night  that  they  came  I  was  upon  guard  (as  it  was  my  tour  of 
duty)  at  the  house  then  owned  by  Deacon  Josiah  Platt,  now  the 
property  and  residence  of  Mr.  Wilmot.  Not  far  from  midnight 
the  news  came  that  a  large  fleet  of  the  enemy's  ships  were  in  the 
Sound,  and  it  was  feared  that  they  were  destined  for  New  Haven. 


64 

Soon  I,  with  some  others  of  the  guard  extended  our  walk  to  Clark's 
Point.  As  it  was  a  starlight  night,  we  soon  discovered  the  fleet 
standing  in  to  the  eastward  with  a  slight  breeze  on  the  land.  We 
watched  their  maneuvres  until  they  came  to  anchor  off  the  "  Old 
Field"  shore  a  little  before  day.  I  then  hastened  up  to  my 
Uncle  Steven's  to  inform  them  of  the  impending  danger,  but  they 
were  extremely  incredulous  and  unwilling  to  believe  there  was 
really  any  danger,  for  they  had  become  accustomed  to  frequent 
and  unnecessary  alarms. 

I  told  them  that  they  must  be  up  immediately  and  get  their 
breakfast  if  they  intended  to  have  it  at  home  and  in  peace ;  and 
I  also  advised  them  to  hide  their  valuables  and  handy  articles  of 
clothing,  for  fear  of  the  worst.  Then  mustering  up  what  ammu- 
nition I  had,  and  crossing  into  the  other  street,  I,  with  three 
others  of  the  guard  obtained  permission  of  an  officer  to  go  down 
to  the  shore  and  watch  the  enemy's  landing. 

We  then  went  to  the  "  Old  Field "  shore,  where  we  waited 
until  sunrise,  when  a  gun  was  fired  from  the  Commodore 
as  a  signal  for  landing,  and  instantly  a  string  of  boats  was  seen 
dropping  astern  of  every  transport  ship,  full  of  soldiers,  and  pull- 
ing directly  for  the  shore.  It  was  near  high  water,  and  a  full 
tide,  so  the  boats  could  come  plump  up  to  the  beach.  As  soon  as 
they  came  within  point-blank  shot  we  fired  into  them,  and  con- 
tinued the  fire  until  they  began  to  land  within  a  few  yards  of  us. 
Then  I  thought  it  was  time  either  to  retreat  or,  on  the  other  hand, 
resign  and  beg  for  quarters,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  crossing 
the  open  field  under  the  shower  of  shot  which  I  well  knew  would 
be  hurled  after  me.  It  was  an  emergency  in  which  I  knew  not 
what  to  do  ;  for  after  we  had  been  so.foolish  and  impudent  as  to 
fire  into  an  army  of  men  all  huddled  into  their  boats,  with  no 
opportunity  of  returning  our  well-aimed  shots,  I  knew  they 
would  soon  make  short  work  of  us  if  they  once  had  us  in  their 
power.  So  there  was  really  no  alternative  but  to  run  and  abide 
the  consequences.  I  therefore  instantly  started  across  the  fields 
at  the  top  of  my  speed,  and  the  bullets  after  me  like  a  shower  of 
hail,  which  seemed  to  prostrate  all  the  grass  around  me.  But 
fortunately  I  escaped  unhurt,  and  retreating  to  another  good 
stand  on  the  Rock  pasture,  waited  the  approach  of  the  flank 
guard.  Then  I  would  fire  a  few  shots  and  retreat  to  another  am- 
bush, and  fire  a  few  more  and  again  retreat,  and  so  I  continued  to 
do  until  I  got  nearly  up  to  the  Milfbrd  turnpike  road,  where  there 
was  an  adjutant  of  the  enemy  killed  and  left  behind. 

By  this  time  the  main  body  of  the  British  had  passed  up 
through  Allingtown,  on  their  way  to  Thomson's  bridge  on  the 
Derby  road.  Our  people  had  planted  some  field  pieces  on  the  east 
side  of  the  West  bridge  in  order  (if  necessary),  to  rake  the  cause- 
way, but  it  being  supposed  by  the  enemy  that  the  bridge  had 
been  blown  up  (which  was  attempted),  was  the  reason  of  their 
taking  the  upper  route  to  the  Derby  road. 


65 

The  company  to  which  I  belonged  had  passed  into  New  Haven 
and  up  to  Neck  bridge,  and  I  thought  it  not  best  to  pursue  after 
them  to  join  them,  and  therefore  returned  back  to  West  Haven. 
The  enemy  staid  over  night  in  New  Haven,  doing  much  damage 
by  plundering ;  then  early  the  next  day  crossed  over  to  East 
Haven,  where  they  burned  several  houses ;  then  marched  down  to 
Morris'  Cove,  burnt  his  house,  then  embarked  once  more  onboard 
their  fleet,  and  getting  under  way  proceeded  to  the  westward. 
They  landed  at  Fairfield  and  Nor  walk,  burned  both  those  places 
and  then  returned  to  New  York. 

As  the  roll  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  American  Revolution  is 
called,  we  notice  the  name  of  Major-General  David  Wooster, 
husband  of  Madam  Wooster,  from  whose  house  the  before  men- 
tioned Clap  MSS.  and  other  papers  belonging  to  Yale  College 
were  taken;  also  that  Connecticut  contributed  more  troops  for 
the  cause  of  freedom  in  proportion  to  her  population  than  any 
of  the  colonies  except  Massachusetts,  and  on  almost  every  battle- 
field her  sons  were  found  paying  tribute  to  the  cause  of  liberty 
with  their  blood.  Such  was  the  case  at  New  Haven,  and  the 
great  effort  made  by  a  handful  of  our  townsmen  against  tre- 
mendous odds,  taken  unawares  as  they  were,  and  meeting  the 
enemy  as  they  landed  on  both  sides  of  the  harbor,  as  the  Saxons 
met  the  conqueror,  disputing  step  by  step  their  march  on  the 
town,  shall  stand  forth  on  the  pages  of  New  Haven's  history  as 
an  illustration  of  the  great  valor  of  those 

"  Whose  good  swords  are  rust, 
Whose  bones  are  dust, 
Whose  souls  are  with  the  saints  we  trust." 

Such  also  was  the  case  at  Ridgefield  a  short  time  before,  where 
the  gallant  Major-General  David  Wooster,  of  this  town,  fell 
mortally  wounded  on  the  27th  of  April,  1777,  dying  of  his  wounds 
on  the  2d  of  May  following;  and  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  here 
to  make  mention  of  his  brilliant  service  to  his  country,  not  only 
in  the  Revolution,  but  in  the  old  colonial  wars,  which  gave  a  drill 
and  preparation  to  our  yeomanry  for  the  struggle  that  followed, 
and  assisted  much  in  finally  crowning  their  herculean  efforts  with 
the  laurel  branch  of  liberty. 

Colonial  records,  traditions  and  copious  extracts  from  the  well- 
prepared  oration  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Champion  Deming,  delivered 
at  Danbury,  Conn.,  April  27th,  1854,  at  the  completion  of  the 
Wooster  monument,  have  furnished  me  with  material  for  a 


66 

brief  account  of  this  good  man's  brilliant  career.  The  son  of 
Abraham  and  Sarah  (Walker)  Wooster,  born  at  Stratford, 
then  Colony  of  Connecticut,  March  2d,  1710-11 — old  style 
— the  youngest  of  six  children,  reared  in  Puritan  principles, 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church  of  Stratford,  1732,  grad- 
uated at  Yale  College  1738,  appointed  Lieutenant  (under  Captain 
George  Phillipses  by  the  Connecticut  Assembly,  at  its  May  ses- 
sion, 1744),  to  the  sloop  "Defense,"  which  was  built  at  Middle- 
town,  Conn.,  fitted  out  and  armed  to  cruise  against  Spanish 
pirates  by  order  of  the  same  Assembly  at  its  May  session  the 
year  before ;  these  events  epitomize  his  early  career.  The 
"Defense"  was  the  first  war  vessel  built  by  Connecticut.  We 
find  him  captain  of  the  "Defense"  October,  1742,  when  he  is 
ordered  to  discharge  his  men  and  lay  his  vessel  up  at  New  London, 
and  he  seems  to  have  held  command  until  May,  1746,  when  we 
find  a  petition  of  David  Wooster,  late  commander  of  the 
"  Defense,"  asking  for  remuneration  for  services,  etc.  His  cruises 
seem  to  have  been  from  Cape  Cod  to  the  capes  of  Virginia,  run- 
ning into  New  Haven  "  on  a  stolen  visit "  to  Mary,  the  daughter 
of  Rev.  Thomas  Clapp,  president  of  Yale  College,  whom  he 
married  March  6th,  1745,  "a  wife  who,  from  the  date  of  her 
nuptials  till  she  followed  him  to  the  grave,  clung  to  his  fortunes 
with  all  a  woman's  unfaltering  constancy  and  devotion."  It  was 
then  he  bought  the  old  homestead  in  this  town,f  as  proved  by  a 
search  of  our  records  made  about  1854  for  Mr.  Deming  by 
Alfred  H.  Terry,  Esq.,  of  this  city,  now  Major-General  Terry, 
U.  S.  A.,  whose  many  brilliant  achievements  during  the  late  War 
of  the  Rebellion,  and  whose  successful  plan  and  capture  of  Fort 
Fisher  rank  him  with  those  noble  commanders  whose  deeds  can 
never  be  obliterated  from  the  history  of  our  country.* 

We  will  not  linger  on  the  part  which  Captain  Wooster  took  in 
preparing  the  Connecticut  fleet  for  the  invasion  of  Cape  Breton 
(then  a  French  colony  at  war  with  New  England),  the  fleet  con- 
sisting of  eight  transports  under  the  convoy  of  the  Connecticut 
sloop-of-war  "Defense,"  which  sailed  from  New  London  April 
llth,  1745,  meeting  the  united  armament  of  the  Northern  colonies, 
consisting  of  one  hundred  sail,  and  anchoring  off  Louisbourg  (the 
stronghold  of  the  French  and  the  strongest  fortress  north  of  the 

*  The  deed  conveying  the  old  "Wooster  Place  to  David  Wooster,  dated  January 
18,  1744-5,  consideration  £800. 

f  Site  standing  in  George  street,  near  the  foot  of  College  street. 


67 

Gulf  of  Mexico),  on  the  30th  of  the  same  month,  when  His 
Majesty's  squadron  from  the  West  India  station,  Admirals 
Warren  and  Townsend  (afterwards  Governor  Isaac  Townsend 
of  Greenwich),  joined  them.  Of  the  colonists,  William  Pepper- 
ell  (Sir  William  afterwards),  of  Maine,  was  in  command.  Roger 
Wolcott,  of  Connecticut,  was  second,  and  after  a  siege  of 
forty-eight  days,  during  which  time  the  part  performed  was  of  a 
herculean  order,  Duchambeau,  its  governor,  on  the  19th  of  June 
sent  out  his  flag  of  truce  with  an  offer  to  surrender.  'Tis  said 
the  strong  heart  of  General  Roger  Wolcott  (also  of  Yale  College, 
class  of  1747  and  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence), 
sank  within  him  when  he  saw  the  great  guns  on  the  towers 
of  the  fortress  forty  feet  high,  and  a  moat  twenty  yards 
wide,  but  step  by  step  they  were  led  on  to  victory.  In  consider- 
ation of  the  gallantry  and  gentlemanly  deportment  of  Captain 
Wooster,  he  was  entrusted  with  the  command  of  a  cartel  ship 
that  was  to  convey  the  trophies  and  prisoners  to  England,  and 
.was  received  in  London  with  extraordinary  exultation.  His 
portrait  adorned  the  pages  of  magazines  and  walls  of  the  principal 
taverns  and  the  chief  places  of  entertainment,  and  as  he  seemed 
to  be  the  only  victorious  hero  in  town  he  was  feted,  presented  at 
court  and  gladdened  with  the  sunshine  of  royal  smiles.  He  was 
rewarded  with  a  captaincy  in  His  Majesty's  service,  and  with  the 
single  exception  of  the  lieutenant-general  of  the  expedition  he 
was  the  only  one  engaged  in  it  that  received  any  mark  of  minis- 
terial honor.  While  abroad  he  became  impressed  with  the  neces- 
sity of  some  tie  which  should  unite  all  mankind  in  a  universal 
brotherhood,  and  on  his  return  home,  which  was  soon  after  by 
packet  to  Boston,  he  procured  from  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge 
of  Massachusetts  a  charter  under  which  Hiram  Lodge  of  New 
Haven  was  organized  in  1750  and  Wooster  appointed  its  first 
Master,  and  thus  with  the  Father  of  our  Country  these  two 
brothers  pursued  the  same  straight  path  which  will  forever  be  to 
their  honor  and  glory. 

The  fourth  intercolonial  war,  called  the  French  and  Indian  war, 
was  approaching;  the  school  in  which  Washington,  Wooster, 
Prescott,  Putnam,  Arnold,  Allen,  Montgomery,  Lyman  and  Wol- 
cott were  educated  for  the  Revolution,  and  during  its  seven 
years' war  New  England  sent  forth  13,000  men,  more  than  one- 
fifth  of  her  male  population.  Mr.  Bancroft  says:  "No  State  in 
the  world  has  such  motive  for  publishing  its  historical  record, 


68 

partly  because  the  modesty  of  those  who  have  gone  before  you 
has  left  unclaimed  much  of  the  glory  due  to  her,  and  partly  that 
it  is  only  in  the  past  that  you  find  the  Connecticut  people  an 
undivided  whole.  Since  then  her  increase  in  numbers  has  been 
so  disproportional  to  her  original  territory  that  her  citizens  or 
their  descendants  are  scattered  all  the  way  from  Wyoming  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Oregon." 

In  1756  was  organized  the  finest  army  ever  then  seen  in  America, 
designed  to  be  under  the  guidance  of  the  Earl  of  Loudon  to  cap- 
ture Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  and  drive  the  French  out  of 
Canada.  Wooster  was  appointed  Colonel  of  the  Third  regiment 
of  Connecticut,  and  joined  at  Albany  with  his  regiment  this  fine 
body  of  regulars  and  provincials  more  than  10,000  strong.  The 
season  was  lost  in  waiting  the  movement  of  their  sluggish  com- 
mander, the  Earl  of  Loudon,  and  so  the  Connecticut  troops 
returned  home. 

It  is  from  the  lips  of  an  eye  witness,  Captain  Nathan  Beers,  a 
venerable  citizen  of  New  Haven,  now  no  more,  himself  an  officer 
of  the  Revolution,  that  the  following  account  of  Colonel 
Wooster's  leaving  New  Haven  for  this  campaign  is  recorded: 
"  He  was  at  the  head  of  his  regiment,  which  was  then  embodied 
on  the  Green  in  front  of  where  the  Center  Church  now  stands. 
They  were  ready  for  the  march,  with  their  arms  glistening  and 
their  knapsacks  on  their  backs.  Colonel  Wooster  had  dispatched 
a  messenger  for  his  minister,  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards,  with  a 
request  that  he  would  meet  the  regiment  and  pray  with  them 
before  their  departure.  He  then  conducted  his  men  in  military 
order  into  the  meeting  house,  and  seating  himself  in  his  own  pew 
awaited  the  return  of  the  messenger.  He  was  speedily  informed 
that  the  clergyman  was  absent  from  home.  Colonel  Wooster 
immediately  stepped  into  the  deacon's  seat  in  front  of  the  pulpit 
and  prayed  with  the  zeal  of  an  apostle  ;  then  leaving  the  house 
with  his  men  in  the  same  good  order  they  had  entered  it,  the 
regiment  at  once  taking  up  its  line  of  march  for  Northern  New 
York. 

Next  year,  1757,  a  third  levy  of  5,000  men  was  made  in  Con- 
necticut, and  Wooster  marched  his  regiment  again  from  New 
Haven  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Hudson.  It  was  this  season  that 
Abercrombie  recklessly  rushed  his  troops  into  the  cannon's  mouth, 
behind  which  lay  the  gallant  Montcalm  with  three  thousand  six 
hundred  French  and  Canadians.  The  carnage  was  terrible, 


69 

resulting  in  the  loss  of  Lord  Howe,  Col.  Towrishend  and  several 
hundred  officers  and  men.* 

Wooster  led  his  regiment  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  but  the 
battle  was  lost.  Then  followed  inactivity,  and  winter  coming  on, 
the  troops  went  into  barracks.  In  1759  Wooster  led  his  regiment 
to  Fort  George  to  join  the  memorable  expedition  under  Gen. 
Amherst,  which  completed  the  conquest  of  Canada.  It  may  be 
interesting  to  know  that  the  morning  the  regiment  left  New 
Haven  they  mustered  on  our  historic  Green,  and  then  after 
stacking  arms.  Col.  Wooster  marched  his  whole  regiment  into 
the  "White  Haven"  or  North  church,  and  there  a  sermon  was 
preached  to  them  (now  extant)  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bird,  V.  D.  M., 
subject,  "  The  importance  of  the  Divine  presence  with  our 
hosts,"  text,  Ex.  xxxiii.  15.  The  sermon  closed  with  an  address 
to  Col.  Wooster  and  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  his  command.  In 
this  spirited  address,  Madame  Wooster  is  beautifully  alluded  to. 
Upon  the  advance  of  Gen.  Amherst's  forces,  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point  were  abandoned  by  their  garrison.  Meanwhile 
Wolfe  fell  in  the  arms  of  victory  on  the  Heights  of  Abraham, 
and  this  successful  army  marched  into  Quebec,  which  had  capit- 
ulated to  Brig.  Gen.  (afterwards  George  1st  Marquis)  Town- 
send.  Montreal  was  the  last  foothold  of  the  French  in  Canada. 
Early  in  the  spring  following,  Gen.  Amherst  divided  his  forces 
into  two  columns.  One,  led  by  Gen.  Haviland,  of  5,000  men, 
inarched  by  the  way  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  the  other,  under 
Amherst,  10,000  strong,  to  which  Col.  Wooster's  regiment  was 
attached,  went  by  one  of  the  longest  and  most  fatiguing  marches 
recorded  in  our  military  annals.  Arriving  at  Oswego  the  army 
crossed  Lake  Ontario  in  open  galleys  and  thence  down  through 
the  Thousand  Islands,  capturing  all  French  vessels  and  military 
posts  and  reached  Montreal  early  in  September,  which  town 
surrendered  without  a  battle  to  a  combined  army  of  regular  and 
provincial  troops  of  20,000  men  ;  thus  the  French,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  chain  of  small  and  feeble  settlements  stretching  from  the 
Lake  to  the  Mississippi,  were  driven  from  the  continent  of  North 
America.  Wooster  returned  with  the  regiment  to  New  Haven  at 
the  close  of  this  war  and  being  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits, 
was  appointed  Collector  of  Customs,  which  office  he  held  for 

*  Col.  Roger  Townshend  was  buried  at  Albany  and  his  tomb  is  in  Westminster 
Abbey,  next  Major  Andre's.     He  was  the  youngest  son  of  Charles.  3d  Viscount 
Townshend  of  Raynham  and  brother  of  the  1st  Marquis. 
10 


70 

twelve  years  afterwards,  being  he  longest  period  of  his  life,  in  which 
he  was  allowed  to  enjoy  happiness  and  repose  among  his  friends. 
His  fortune  was  ample.  His  wife,  in  addition  to  other  claims  upon 
his  admiration,  possessed  also  those  solid  charms  which  were  not; 
entirely  despised  even  in  the  heroic  ages  of  our  ancestors.  He 
continued  to  draw  his  half-pay  as  Captain  of  His  Majesty's  51st 
Regiment  of  foot,  and  from  various  sources  he  derived  an 
income  which  enabled  him  to  surround  himself  with  all  the 
comfort  and  luxuries  of  wealth.  His  style  of  living  was  in  the 
highest  elegance  of  olden  times.  He  spread  a  bountiful  table, 
kept  his  horses  and  phseton  and  a  troupe  of  black  domestics. 
The  old  mansion  house  in  Wooster  street,  then  fairly  isolated  in 
the  country  with  an  unobstructed  prospect  of  the  Sound,  opened 
wide  its  doors  in  genuine  hospitality.  It  was  the  resort  of 
learning,  the  talent  and  polish  of  that  era — the  dawn  of  the 
Revolution.  Madam  Wooster  was  herself  a  heroine  of  the 
Revolutionary  type,  strong  in  mind  and  bold  and  earnest  in 
character,  and  witli  a  presence  and  manner  so  dignified  and 
imposing  as  to  awe  into  reverence  the  drunken  British  soldiery 
who  subsequently  sacked  her  mansion  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Bos  well  of  the  Guards,  who  were  stationed  for  the 
protection  of  her  house  and  property  by  order  of  the  command- 
ing general,  Garth. 

When  news  of  the  bloody  fight  at  Lexington  forever  closed 
the  doors  of  reconciliation,  Gen.  Wooster  resigned  his  com- 
mission in  the  army,  also  his  collectorship  of  the  port  of  New 
Haven,  spurning  the  temptation  of  a  high  commission  in  the 
British  army,  which  was  earnestly  pressed  upon  his  acceptance, 
and  at  once,  when  it  became  apparent  that  war  was  inevitable, 
enrolled  himself  on  the  side  of  his  country,  not  waiting  even 
for  official  position,  but  with  other  private  Connecticut  gentlemen 
planned  the  seizure  of  Fort  Ticonderoga,  pledging  their  own 
personal  security  for  the  loan  which  defrayed  the  expense  of 
the  expedition,  thus  participating  in  the  first  aggressive  act 
against  the  Crown. 

The  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut  in  its  May  session,  1775, 
threw  off  all  disguise  respecting  their  warlike  preparations, 
and  in  plain  terms  ordered  one-fourth  part  of  our  militia  to  be 
armed  and  equipped  for  immediate  service.  The  forces  thus 
organized  were  divided  into  six  regiments  and  David  Wooster 
was  appointed  Major  General  and  Commander-in-Chief,  with 


71 

Joseph  Spencer  and  Israel  Putnam  as  his  Brigadiers.  Active 
service  immediately  followed  this  appointment.  At  the  solicita- 
tion of  the  Committee  of  Safety  of  New  York,  Wooster  was 
ordered  with  the  troops  of  his  command  to  defend  its  metropolis 
against  a  threatened  demonstration  of  the  enemy.  He  was  then 
sixty-five  years  of  age  and  his  long  experience  had  prepared  him 
in  every  way  for  the  war.  During  July  and  August,  1775,  he 
was  encamped  at  Harlem,  and  while  there  his  enthusiasm  met 
with  a  cruel  rebuff,  he  having  the  mortification  to  see  General 
Putnam,  his  junior,  raised  by  Congress  to  the  rank  of  Major 
General  while  he  was  made  only  a  Brigadier,  although  he  still 
held  his  commission  in  the  service  of  the  colony  of  Connecticut 
as  major  general  of  her  militia.  This  slight  on  the  part  of 
Congress  of  course  brought  forth  a  long  correspondence,  but 
Wooster  nobly  accepted  the  brigadiership  in  the  Continental 
service,  and  was  soon  ordered  to  Ticonderoga  with  Connecticut 
troops,  this  department  being  then  placed  under  command  of 
Major  General  Schuyler,  whose  headquarters  were  at  Albany. 
History  gives  abundant  proof  of  the  disagreement  of  these 
officers.  Wooster  was  sent  to  Canada,  second  in  command 
under  the  unfortunate  Montgomery,  with  whom  he  heartily 
co-operated,  and  to  their  joint  exertions  the  capitulation  of  St. 
John  was  due,  dispersing  the  forces  under  Sir  Guy  Carlton, 
for  which  meritorious  achievement  they  received  the  thanks  of 
Congress.  Together  they  marched  on  Montreal,  and  when  Mont- 
gomery started  thence  for  Quebec,  Wooster  was  left  there 
(Montreal)  in  command  of  its  garrison,  and  on  the  ill-fated 
desperate  assault  of  December  31st,  when  the  brave  Montgomery 
was  slain,  he  entered  on  his  duties  as  commander-in-chief.  But 
his  command  was  brief,  and  on  account  of  a  new  misunderstand- 
ing with  General  Schuyler  he  asked  to  be  recalled,  and  within 
one  month  of  his  departure  the  American  Army  withdrew  to 
the  New  York  frontier.  Impartial  history  has  ratified  the  verdict 
and  charged  our  misfortune  in  Canada,  not  to  the  officers  in 
command,  but  to  the  poor  means  put  at  their  disposal.  Wooster 
returned  to  Connecticut  with  the  undiminished  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  as  the  Assembly  had  recently 
raised  six  brigades  for  home  defense,  he  was  again  appointed 
by  it  Major  General  and  Commander-in-chief.  With  zeal  unchilled 
either  by  age  or  misfortune,  he  again  entered  the  service  of  the 
Commonwealth. 


72 

Madam  Wooster  was  frequently  heard  to  say  that  when  the 
General  was  called  to  lead  the  Connecticut  troops  he  would  say, 
"I  cannot  go  with  these  men  without  money,"  and  drew  from 

O  •'    ' 

his  own  funds  to  pay  officers  and  men,  taking  their  receipt  for 
the  same.  The  papers  and  vouchers  for  these  disbursements 
were  destroyed  when  the  British  pillaged  the  Wooster  house, 
and  this  venerable  and  accomplished  lady  was,  in  her  declining 
years,  actually  imprisoned  for  debt  and  the  keys  of  the  jail  turned 
upon  her  from  the  impossibility  of  recovering  the  money  her 
husband  had  advanced  to  his  suffering  country.  On  the  morning 
of  April  25th,  1777,  the  British  fleet  landed  two  thousand  men 
at  Cedar  Point,  on  the  Connecticut  shore,  and  having  formed 
in  close  column  passed  through  the  little  village  of  Compo, 
guided  by  Eli  Benedict  and  Stephen  Jarvis  of  Danbury.  camping 
over  night  at  Weston.  The  expedition  was  under  the  command 
of  Gov.  Tryon,of  N"ew  York,  whose  operations  afterwards  in  New 
Haven,  Fail-field  and  Norwalk  have  been  mentioned  in  former 
articles,  and  it  was  this  same  Governor  who  was  driven  on  board 
the  "Asia"  frigate,  lying  in  North  river,  by  Wooster  and  his 
Connecticut  Continentals,  when  the  American  army  took  pos- 
session of  New  York  previous  to  their  arrival  after  the  evacuation 
of  Boston  in  1776.  News  of  the  enemy's  landing  was  received 
by  Wooster  at  New  Haven  early  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  of 
April,  1777.  General  Arnold  was  also  home  (New  Haven)  on  a 
furlough  and  at  once  both  Generals  proceeded  to  the  scene  of 
operations.  On  their  way  through  Fairfield  news  was  received 
that  General  Silliman  (a  graduate  of  Yale,  class  of  1752,  father 
of  the  late  Prof.  Benjamin  Silliman  and  grandfather  of  the 
present  Prof.  Silliman  of  Yale  College)  had  ordered  the  militia 
to  rendezvous  at  Reading.  Passing  on,  they  arrived  at  General 
Silliman's  headquarters,  when  Wooster  took  command,  and  with 
his  troops  followed  the  enemy  to  Bethel,  arriving  there  about 
midnight  with  a  small  force  of  700  men.  On  the  27th  General 
Wooster  ordered  Silliman  and  Arnold  out  with  500  men  to 
intercept  Tryon,  in  front,  while  Wooster  with  about  200  followed 
in  Tryon's  rear  and  captured  about  40  prisoners.  A  few  miles  from 
Ridgetield,  Wooster  again  attacked  their  rear  guard,  which  was 
supported  with  artillery,  which  wheeled  to  receive  him.  A 
severe  skirmish  followed,  and  the  undisciplined  militia  staggered. 
The  brave  old  man  rushed  forward  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight, 
and  waving  his  sword,  he  called  aloud,  "  Come  on  my  boys,  never 


73 

mind  such  random  shots,"  and  the  next  moment  he  was  struck 
by  a  shot,  breaking  his  spine  and  burying  itself  in  his  body. 

Thus  fell  the  gallant  and  noble  Wooster  fainting  and  mortally 
wounded,  and  was  carried  from  the  field  by  his  soldiers  on  a  sash 
worn  by  him  during  the  battle,  the  same  which  was  presented, 
with  his  sword  and  portrait,  to  Yale  College  by  Admiral 
Wooster  in  1837.* 

The  surgeon,  Dr.  Turner,  was  at  once  by  his  side.  Wooster 
was  told  he  could  not  survive,  which  tidings  he  received  with  the 
most  serene  composure.  He  was  removed  to  Danbury  and 
Madame  Wooster  summoned  to  his  side,  but  she  arrived  too  late 
to  see  him  in  his  right  mind.  For  three  days  he  lingered  in 
extreme  agony  aggravated  by  the  further  search  of  the  surgeon's 
probe  for  the  fatal  bullet.  During  his  delirium  he  imagined  him- 
self making  long  marches,  at  sieges  and  in  battle,  at  the  home  of 
his  childhood,  beautiful  Stratford,  street  and  green  before  him 
and  neighbors  around — many  of  whom  were  not  in  sympathy 
with  his  views,  but  as  neighbors  and  old  friends  were  always  glad 
to  see  David  Wooster — the  cabin  of  his  ship  and  his  own  mansion 
looking  out  on  New  Haven's  beautiful  bay.  Thus  on  the  2d  of 
May,  1777,  in  the  service  of  his  country,  died  Major  General 
David  Wooster.  He  was  buried  at  Danbury  with  military  hon- 
ors befitting  his  rank,  a  few  days  after. 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  President  Daggett's  account  of  the 
treatment  he  received  from  the  enemy,  with  his  affidavit,  which 
is  preserved  in  the  Secretary  of  State's  office,  Hartford,  a  copy  of 
which  may  be  seen  in  Barber's  Connecticut  Historical  Collections, 
page  174-5  : 

An  account  of  the  cruelties  and  barbarities  which  I  received 
from  British  soldiers  after  I  had  surrendered  myself  a  prisoner 

*  REV.  J.  DAY,  President  of  Yale  University : 

DEAR  SIR:  As  I  shall  soon  leave  this  my  native  place  and  there  is  much  uncer- 
tainty as  to  my  ever  returning  to  it  again,  I  beg  you  to  receive  in  behalf  of  the  col- 
lege these  relics  of  my  much  respected  grandfather,  whose  memory  is  still  cher- 
ished by  every  American  patriot.  His  portrait  I  found  by  mere  chance  in  the  city 
of  Santa  Yago,  the  capital  of  Chili,  in  the  year  1822.  The  sword  is  the  same 
which  he  had  drawn  at  the  time  when  he  fell  in  repelling  the  inroads  of  the  enemy 
of  our  country,  and  the  sash  is  that  on  which  he  was  carried  from  the  field  after 
receiving  the  wound  which  caused  his  death. 

With  feelings  of  high  respect  and  esteem,  I  remain,  reverend  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
A.  D.  1837.  CHAS.  W.  WOOSTER. 


74 

into  their  hands.  It  is  needless  to  relate  all  the  leading  circum- 
stances which  threw  me  in  their  way.  It  may  be  sufficient  first 
to  observe  that  on  Monday  morning  the  5th  inst.  the  town  of  New 
Haven  was  justly  alarmed  with  the  threatening  appearance  of  a 
speedy  invasion  from  the  enemy.  Numbers  went  out  armed  to 
oppose  them.  I  among  the  rest  took  the  station  assigned  me  on 
Milford  hill,  but  very  soon  was  directed  to  quit  it  and  retire  fur- 
ther north,  as  the  motion  of  the  enemy  required  it.  Having  gone 
as  far  as  I  supposed  was  sufficient,  I  turned  down  the  hill  to  gain 
a  little  covert  of  bushes  which  I  had  in  my  eye,  but  to  my  great 
surprise  I  saw  the  enemy  much  nearer  than  I  expected,  their 
advance  guard  being  a  little  more  than  twenty  rods  distant,  with 
plain,  open  ground  between  us.  They  instantly  fired  upon  me, 
which  they  continued  till  I  had  run  a  dozen  rods,  discharging  not 
less  than  fifteen  or  twenty  balls  at  me  alone.  However,  through 
the  preserving  providence  of  God  I  escaped  from  them  all  unhurt 
and  gained  the  little  covert  at  which  I  aimed,  which  concealed 
me  from  their  view,  while  I  could  plainly  see  them  through  the 
woods  and  bushes  advancing  towards  me  within  twelve  rods.  I 
singled  out  one  of  them,  took  aim  and  fired  upon  him.  I  loaded 
my  musket  again,  but  determined  not  to  discharge  it  any  more, 
and  as  I  saw  I  could  not  escape  from  them  I  determined  to  sur- 
render myself  a  prisoner.  I  begged  for  quarter  and  that  they 
would  spare  my  life.  They  drew  near  to  me,  I  think  two  only  in 
number,  one  on  my  right  hand,  the  other  on  my  left,  the  fury  of 
inf  ernals  glowing  in  their  faces.  They  called  me  a  damned  old 
rebel,  and  swore  they  would  kill  me  instantly.  They  demanded, 
"What  did  you  fire  upon  us  for  ?"  I  replied,  "  Because  it  is  the 
exercise  of  war."  Then  one  made  a  pass  at  me  with  his  bayonet 
as  if  he  designed  to  thrust  it  through  my  body.  With  my  hand 
I  tossed  it  up  from  its  direction  and  sprang  in  so  near  to  him  that 
he  could  not  hurt  me  with  his  bayonet.  I  still  continued  plead- 
ing and  begging  for  my  life  with  the  utmost  importunity,  using 
every  argument  in  my  power  to  mollify  them  and  induce  them  to 
desist  from  their  murderous  purpose.  One  of  them  gave  me  four 
gashes  on  my  head  with  the  edge  of  his  bayonet  to  the  skull  and 
bone,  which  caused  a  painful  effusion  of  blood.  The  other  gave 
me  three  slight  pricks  with  the  point  of  his  bayonet  on  the  trunk 
of  my  body,  but  they  were  no  more  than  skin  deep.  But  what  is 
a  thousand  times  worse  than  all  that  has  been  related  is  the  blows 
and  bruises  they  gave  me  with  the  heavy  barrels  of  their  guns  in 
the  bowels  by  which  I  was  knocked  down  once  or  more  and 
almost  deprived  of  life,  by  which  bruises  I  have  been  almost  con- 
fined to  my  bed  ever  since.  These  scenes  might  have  taken  up 
two  minutes  of  time.  They  seemed  to  desist  a  little  from  their 
design  of  murder,  after  which  they  stripped  me  of  my  shoes  and 
knee  buckles  and  also  my  stock  buckle.  Their  avarice  further  led 
them  to  rob  me  of  my  pocket  handkerchief  and  a  little  old  tobacco 
box.  They  then  bade  me  to  march  towards  the  main  body,  which 


75 

was  about  twelve  rods  distant,  when  some  officers  soon  inquired 
of  me  who  I  was.  I  gave  them  my  name,  station  and  character, 
and  begged  their  protection  that  I  might  not  be  any  more  abused 
and  hurt  by  the  soldiers.  They  promised  me  their  protection, 
but  I  was  robbed  of  my  shoes  and  was  committed  to  one  of  the 
most  unfeeling  savages  that  ever  breathed.  They  then  drove  me 
before  the  main  body,  a  hasty  march  of  five  miles  or  more.  I 
was  insulted  in  the  most  shocking  manner  by  the  ruffian  soldiers, 
many  of  whom  came  at  me  with  fixed  bayonets  and  swore  they 
would  kill  me  on  the  spot.  They  damned  me  and  those  that  took 
me  because  they  spared  my  life.  Thus,  amid  a  thousand  insults, 
my  infernal  driver  hastened  me  along  faster  than  my  strength 
would  admit  in  the  extreme  heat  of  the  day,  weakened  as  I  was 
by  my  wounds  and  the  loss  of  blood,  which  at  moderate  computa- 
tion could  not  be  less  than  one  quart.  And  when  failing  in 
some  degree  through  faintness  he  would  strike  me  on  the  back 
with  a  heavy  walking  staff  and  kick  me  behind  with  his  foot. 
At  length  by  the  supporting  power  of  God  I  arrived  at  the 
Green  in  New  Haven,  but  my  life  was  almost  spent ;  the  world 
around  me  several  times  appeared  dark  as  midnight.  I  obtained 
leave  of  an  officer  to  be  carried  into  Widow  Lyman's  and  laid  on 
a  bed,  where  I  lay  the  rest  of  the  day  and  succeeding  night  in  such 
acute  and  excruciating  pain  as  I  never  felt  before. 

NAPHTALI  DAGGETT. 
New  Haven,  July  26th,  1779. 

NEW  HAVEN,  July  26,  1779. 
[Affidavit.] 

Personally  appeared  the  Rev.  Dr.  Naphtali  Daggett  and  made  oath  to  the  afore- 
said account  as  true  and  genuine  before  me.  DAVID  AUSTIN, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

The  following  with  reference  to  President  Daggett  is  copied 
from  "  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit "  and  was  written 
by  Hon.  Elizur  Goodrich,  LL.D.,  member  of  Congress  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Law  in  Yale  College,  and  who,  as  will  be  seen,  was  in 
the  various  engagements  from  West  Haven  to  Ditch  Corner. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  July,  1779,  a  force  of  2,500, 
which  had  previously  sailed  from  New  York,  landed  in  the  south 
part  of  West  Haven,  a  part  of  New  Haven,  about  five  miles  from 
the  center  of  the  town.  College  was  of  course  broken  up  and  the 
students,  with  many  of  the  inhabitants,  prepared  to  flee  on  the 
morrow  into  the  neighboring  country.  To  give  more  time  for 
preparation  and  especially  for  the  removal  of  goods,  a  volunteer 
company  of  about  one  hundred  young  men  was  formed,  not  with 
the  expectation  of  making  any  serious  stand  against  such  a  force, 
but  simply  of  retarding  or  diverting  its  march.  In  common  with 
other  of  the  students  I  was  one  of  the  number,  and  I  well  remember 


76 

the  surprise  we  felt  next  morning  (July  5th)  as  we  were  march- 
ing over  West  Bridge  towards  the  enemy,  to  see  Dr.  Daggett 
riding  furiously  by  us  on  his  old  black  mare  with  his  long  fowling 
piece  in  his  hand  ready  for  action.  We  knew  the  old  gentleman 
had  studied  the  matter  thoroughly  and  satisfied  his  own  mind  as 
to  the  right  and  propriety  of  fighting  it  out,  but  we  were  not 
quite  prepared  to  see  him  come  forth  in  so  gallant  a  style  to  carry 
his  principles  into  practice.  Giving  him  a  cheer  as  he  passed,  we 
turned  down  toward  West  Haven  at  the  foot  of  Milf ord  hill,  while 
he  ascended  a  little  to  the  west  and  took  his  station  in  a  copse  of 
wood  where  he  seemed  to  be  reconnoitering  the  enemy  like  one 
who  was  determined  "to  bide  his  time."  As  he  passed  on 
towards  the  south  we  met  an  advanced  guard  of  the  British,  and 
taking  our  stand  at  a  line  of  fence  we  fired  upon  them  several 
times  and  then  chased  them  the  length  of  three  or  four  fields  as 
they  retreated,  until  we  suddenly  found  ourselves  involved  with 
the  main  body  and  in  danger  of  being  surrounded.  It  was  now 
our  turn  to  run,  and  we  did  for  our  lives.  Passing  by  Dr.  Dag- 
get  in  his  station  on  the  hill  we  retreated  rapidly  across  West 
Bridge,  which  was  instantly  taken  down  by  persons  who  stood 
ready  for  the  purpose,  to  prevent  them  entering  the  town  by  that 
road.  In  the  meantime,  Dr.  Daggett,  as  we  heard  the  story 
afterwards,  stood  his  ground  manfully,  while  the  British  column 
advanced  along  the  foot  of  the  hill,  determined  to  have  the  battle 
to  himself,  as  we  had  left  him  in  the  lurch,  and  using  his  fowling 
piece  now,  and  to  excellent  effect,  as  occasion  offered,  under  cover 
of  the  bushes.  But  this  could  not  last  long.  A  detachment  was 
sent  up  the  hillside  to  look  into  this  matter,  and  the  commanding 
officer  coming  suddenly,  to  his  great  surprise,  on  a  single  individ- 
ual in  a  black  coat  blazing  away  in  this  style,  cried  out,  "What 
are  you  doing  there,  you  old  fool,  firing  on  His  Majesty's  troops?" 
"Exercising  the  rights  of  war"  says  the  old  gentleman.  The  very 
audacity  of  the  reply  and  the  mixture  of  drollery  it  contained 
seemed  to  amuse  the  officer.  "If  I  let  you  go  this  time,  you 
rascal,"  said  he,  "  will  you  ever  fire  again  on  the  troops  of  His 
Majesty  ?"  "Nothing  more  likely"  said  the  old  gentleman  in  his 
dry  way.  This  was  too  much  for  flesh  and  blood  to  bear,  and  it 
is  a  wonder  they  did  not  put  a  bullet  through  him  on  the  spot. 
However  they  dragged  him  down  to  the  head  of  the  column  and 
as  they  were  necessitated  by  the  destruction  of  West  Bridge  to 
turn  their  course  two  miles  further  north  to  the  next  bridge 
above,  they  placed  him  at  the  head  and  compelled  him  to  lead 
the  way.  I  had  gone  into  the  meadow  in  the  meantime  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  half  a  mile  distant,  and  kept  pace  with 
the  march  as  they  advanced  toward  the  north.  It  was,  I  think, 
the  hottest  day  I  ever  knew.  The  stoutest  men  were  almost 
melted  with  heat.  In  their  way  they  drove  the  old  gentlemnn 
before  them  at  mid-day  under  a  burning  sun  rovmd  through 
Westville  about,  five  miles  into  the  town,  pricking  him  forward 
with  their  bayonets  when  his  strength  failed,  and  when  he  was 


77 

ready  to  sink  to  the  ground  with  utter  exhaustion.  Thus  they 
marched  him  into  New  Haven,  shooting  down  one  and  another 
of  the  unoffending  citizens  as  they  passed  through  the  streets, 
and  keeping  him  in  utter  uncertainty  whether  they  had  not  been 
reserving  him  for  the  same  fate.  When  they  reached  the  Green 
he  was  recognized  by  one  of  the  loyal  citizens  of  the  town,  who 
had  come  forward  to  welcome  the  troops,  and  at  his  request  was 
finally  dismissed.  His  life  was  for  some  time  in  danger  from 
extreme  exhaustion  and  from  the  wounds  he  had  received.  He 
did,  however,  so  far  recover  as  to  preach  regularly  in  the  chapel 
a  part  of  the  next  yea,r,  but  his  death  was  no  doubt  hastened  by 
his  suffering  on  that  occasion.  He  died  about  sixteen  months 
afterward. 

We  find  in  the  New  Haven  Journal  &  Courier  the  following  ad- 
ditional, from  a  correspondent,  F.  H.  T.  H.,  regarding  Dr.  Daggett: 

Rev.  Naphtali  Daggett  entered  Yale  College  in  1744  and 
graduated  in  1748.  He  was  settled  as  minister  of  Smithtown  on 
Long  Island  in  1751.  In  1755  he  was  elected  Professor  of  Divin- 
ity in  Yale  College,  which  he  accepted,  and  removed  to  New 
Haven.  After  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Clapp  in  1766,  he  officiated 
as  president  till  1777.  During  the  barbarous  attack  on  New 
Haven,  July,  1779,  he  distinguished  himself  for  the  part  he  took 
in  the  defence  of  the  country.  He  had  made  himself  obnoxious 
by  his  bold  opposition  to  the  British  cause.  In  the  pulpit  and  in 
the  lecture  room  he  inculcated  upon  the  students  the  duty  of 
resisting  Biitish  oppression,  consequently  he  incurred  the  marked 
displeasure  of  the  invaders.  What  he  preached,  that  he  prac- 
ticed. When  the  enemy  landed  he  shouldered  his  musket  to 
repel  them.  He  was  taken  prisoner  and  treated  with  all  possible 
indignity.  His  clerical  character  did  not  exempt  him  from  their 
most  outrageous  abuse.  When  asked  by  them  who  he  was,  he 
immediately  replied,  "My  name  is  Naphtali  Daggett:  I  am  one 
of  the  officers  of  Yale  College.  I  require  you  to  release  me." 
"But  we  understand  that  you  have  been  praying  against  our 
cause."  "  Yes,  and  I  never  made  more  sincere  prayers  in  my  life." 

He  was  saved  by  the  courage  of  the  lady  into  whose  house  he 
had  been  conveyed.  The  enemy  having  retired,  they  sent  back 
an  officer  and  tile  of  soldiers  to  convey  him  as  prisoner  on  board 
their  fleet.  They  came  to  the  house  and  were  refused  admittance 
by  the  lady,  who  pleaded  the  excuse  that  he  was  so  badly 
wounded  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  convey  him  on  board 
alive.  "My  orders,"  said  the  officer,  "are  positive  to  take  him 
with  me."  But  she  pleaded  that  he  was  in  the  agonies  of  death. 
After  continual  demands  and  refusals,  the  officer  left  to  report  the 
case  and  never  returned. 

He  died  in  1780  in  consequence  of  the  wounds  he  had  received 
in  his  engagement  with  the  British.     He  held  the  office  of  Pro- 
fessor of  Divinity  twenty-five  years,  and  presided  over  the  uni- 
versity eleven  years, 
n 


REMINISCENCES. 


I  am  informed  by  Mrs.  Grace  Wheeler,  widow  of  the  late 
Capt.  Stephen  Wheeler,  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Grace  (Wheeler) 
Glenny,  of  55  Wooster  street,  this  city,  that  during  the  invasion 
of  the  5th  of  July,  1779,  her  great  grandmother,  Mrs.  Abiah. 
(McCumber)  Hall,  wife  of  Mr.  John  Hall,  whose  residence  was 
on  the  northeast  corner  of  Fair  and  State  streets,  while  crossing 
the  street  was  met  by  a  party  of  British  soldiers.  One  of  them 
espied  her  gold  beads,  and  cut  them  from  her  neck  with  the 
point  of  his  bayonet ;  the  others  took  fi%om  her  shoes  the  silver 
buckles.  It  was  this  house  that  a  cannon  ball  passed  through 
and  lodged  in  the  chimney  over  the  fire-place.  Mr.  Hall's  daugh- 
ter married  Major  Win.  Munson,  of  this  city,  an  officer  in  the 
Continental  army,  also  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Cincinnati, 
and  Surveyor  of  Customs  of  the  port  of  New  Haven,  appointed 
by  Gen.  Washington,  which  office  he  held  until  his  death,  a  period 
of  thirty-three  years.  The  major  was  first  cousin  to  Benedict 
Arnold's  first  wife,  Margaret  Mansfield,  and  accompanied  him  to 
Canada.  He  was  then  a  lieutenant  in  Col.  Elmore's  regiment,  as  is 
proved  by  his  papers,  dated  May  6th,  1776,  now  in  possession  of 
the  family.  Major  Munson  was  also  commanding  officer  at  Dobb's 
Ferry  at  the  time  of  Andre's  execution.  His  son,  Wm.  Munson, 
Jr.,  died  there  soon  after  of  small-pox,  aged  about  ten  years. 
This  young  gentleman,  aged  eight  years  and  nine  months,  left 
New  Haven  with  his  father,  as  an  officer  (perhaps  clerk)  on  half 
pay,  dressed  in  a  full  suit  of  Continental.  His  father's  desire  was 
to  educate  him  for  the  army.  The  lad  was  exceedingly  promising 
and  became  the  pet  of  the  army.  He  breathed  his  last  in  Gen- 
eral Hazen's  arms  just  as  his  father  was  returning  from  a  short 
absence,  the  youth  having  been  suddenly  taken  ill.  Mrs.  Captain 
Wheeler  is  now  eighty-seven  years  of  age,  and  a  lady  of  wonder- 
ful spirit,  and  energy,  and  gifted  with  fine  conversational  powers. 
Mrs.  Wheeler's  father,  Major  Munson,  paid  a  visit  of  condolence 
to  Lady  Washington  soon  after  the  General's  death.  He  spent 
some  time  at  Mt.  Vernon,  and  Mrs.  Wheeler  well  remembers  the 
lemons  brought  by  Major  Munson  from  Mt.  Vernon,  which  were 
kept  for  many  years  in  a  dried  condition.  Major  Munson's  com- 
missions are  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Wheeler,  and  she  has  another  ' 


79 

relic,  one  of  two  punch  bowls  ordered  by  Captain  Daniel  Green 
of  the  ship  Neptune,  while  on  one  of  his  voyages  to  China,  for 
Major  Munson,  one  of  which  was  given  to  General  Washington. 
They  weie  both  beautifully  decorated  with  Masonic  emblems. 
Two  letters  written  to  Major  Munson  by  General  Washington 
are  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Wheeler  and  the  commissions 
signed  by  Washington  and  Hancock  respectively  are  still  in  the 
family. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Raymond,  stationer,  of  Center  street,  was  told  the 
following  by  Frederick  Lines  : 

Old  Mr,  Pinto,  living  in  State  street,  at  the  time  of  the  inva- 
sion, remained  at  home  all  day.  He  told  this  story  to  Mr. 
Frederick  Lines,  that  while  sitting  in  his  door,  a  finely-dressed 
officer  in  red  uniform  came  riding  down  Elm  street  and  turned  up 
State  toward  Grove  street.  Just  then  a  Mr.  Bradley,  from  East 
Haven,  came  from  a  direction  which  is  now  Grand  street,  on 
horseback,  with  musket  loaded  and  primed,  and  seeing  this  officer, 
he  leveled  his  piece  and  fired.  The  officer  dropped  off  his  horse, 
and  Bradley  at  the  same  time  rode  up  to  him,  took  the  officer's 
sword  and  gave  him  several  cuts  over  the  head.  He  then  took  the 
officer's,  horse  and  on  his  own  rode  out  of  town.  The  officer 
crawled  into  Mr.  Bishop's  garden  (Mr.  Bishop  was  Abraham 
Bishop,  afterward  collector  of  the  port),  and  there  lay  until  found 
by  some  of  his  comrades.  The  Bishop  house  is  still  standing, 
on  State  street,  north  of  Elm. 

Mr.  Raymond  also  gives  me  the  following  interesting  reminis- 
cence :  During  the  afternoon  of  July  5,  Mrs.  Attwater  was  sitting 
in  her  parlor  window  (in  the  old  house  once  occupied  by  George 
Rowland,  Esq.,  and  now  the  site  of  the  Attwater  block  on  Fleet 
street),  with  her  little  child  Elnathan,  afterward  Captain  Elnathan 
Attwater,  a  noted  shipmaster  of  New  Haven,  when  General  Tryon 
(described  as  a  short,  thick-set  man)  with  his  staff  passed  with  an 
umbrella  over  his  head,  it  being  an  exceedingly  hot  day,  and  see- 
ing Mrs.  Attwater,  he  stopped  and  took  little  Elnathan  in  his  arms. 
After  a  short  conversation  with  the  lady  he  gave  up  the  little  boy 
and  ordered  a  guard  placed  at  the  house.  She  at  that  time  had 
the  gold  beads  and  jewelry  of  many  of  her  neighbors  on  her 
person.  On  the  next  afternoon  while  the  last  of  the  fleet  were 
sailing  out  of  the  harbor,  Mrs.  Attwater  went  to  the  garden  to  get 
some  vegetables  to  boil  in  the  pot  and  a  cannon  shot  struck  near 
her,  covering  her  with  soil  and  weeds  from  the  garden. 


80 

The  following  from  the  genealogical  work  on  the  "  Hughes  and 
Allied  Families  "  is  an  incident  worth  repeating.  We  are  indebted 
to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Hughes,  principal  of  the  Dixwell  avenue  school 
in  this  city,  who  herself  largely  assisted  in  the  compilation  of  the 
Hughes  book  and  contributed  much  to  its  success,  for  the  infor- 
mation. She  says  :  "When  in  1779  the  town  was  invaded  by  the 
British  troops,  under  command  of  Major  General  William  Tryon, 
great  consternation  and  fear  filled  the  inhabitants,  as  the  roaring 
of  cannon  and  the  sharp  crack  of  musketry  were  heard,  and  the 
smoke  of  burning  dwellings  marked  the  line  of  march.  Many 
fled  with  their  families,  while  others  sent  their  wives  and  children 
with  such  valuables  as  they  could  most  speedily  collect,  to  the 
woods,  and  other  places  of  supposed  safety,  while  they  staid  to 
resist  and  harass  the  enemy. 

It  happened  at  this  time  that  two  of  Henry  Freeman  Hughes' 
sons,  John  and  Daniel,  had  gone  into  the  country  to  Simsbury  to 
visit  their  brother  Henry,  who  had  removed  thither  a  year  previ- 
ous, on  a  farm  he  had  purchased.  Their  object  was  to  see  the 
country,  with  the  intent  to  buy  also  each  a  farm  if  sufficiently 
pleased.  His  daughter  Abigail  and  John's  wife  filled  bags  with 
the  valuables  of  the  house,  and,  placing  them  on  a  horse,  fled 
to  the  woods  where  they  remained  over  night.  His  son  Freeman, 
with  his  wife  and  two  children,  joined  the  British.  This  left  him 
alone  with  his  wife,  who  was  a  cripple  and  had  not  walked  for 
years.  She  was  greatly  alarmed — feared  that  she  would  be  taken 
and  killed — and  persuaded  him  to  desist  from  his  purpose  of 
fleeing.  The  enemy  came  in  to  the  Ferry.  Reaching  the  house, 
the  advance  guard  turned  their  horses  into  his  fields  of  rye  and 
corn,  broke  open  and  scattered  his  flour,  pitched  his  pork  about 
with  their  bayonets,  and  let  out  his  molasses  and  rum  till  his  cel- 
lar was  shoe  deep  with  the  mixture.  When  the  officers  came  up, 
he  went  out  and  asked  protection.  They  said  :  "Are  you  a  friend 
to  King  George  ?"  He  replied  :  "  I  am."  Then  they  told  him 
no  further  violence  would  be  done,  and  placed  a  guard  around  his 
house.  From  this  circumstance  he  was  often  called  a  Tory,  which 
the  family  justly  resented  and  denied. 

The  British  encamped  for  the  night  on  the  heights  north  of 
his  house,  known  as  Tuttle's  Hill.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the 
6th,  seeing  the  inhabitants  collecting  in  force,  those  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river  called  in  their  guards  ;  the  first  division  crossed 
the  ferry  and  joined  Gen.  Tryon  on  the  East  Haven  side  ;  thus 


81 

making  his  homestead  the  place  where  one  of  the  historical  events 
of  the  times  occurred.  They  retreated  to  their  boats,  carrying 
with  them  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  captive,  who  were  taken 
without  arms,  and  a  few  who  chose  to  accompany  them. 

Henry  Freeman  Hughes  came  from  Wales  and  married  Lydia, 
a  daughter  of  Noah  Tuttle,  whose  interest  in  her  father's  property 
fell  to  her.  It  seems  Mr.  Hughes  owned  and  kept  the  lower,  or 
Hughes  Ferry,  the  boat  of  which  was  propelled  by  means  of  horse 
power.  Their  mother  not  having  been  able  to  walk,  her  husband 
remained  with  her,  which  accounts  for  their  being  home  when  the 
enemy  arrived.  Their  two  sons  gone,  taking  with  them  the 
horses  so  that  the  enemy  were  not  able  to  use  the  scow  ferryboat 
when  the  evening  arrived,  they  weie  very  much  enraged  and 
abused  Mr.  Hughes,  but  he  being  a  Welchman  and  this  com- 
pany belonging  to  the  Welch  Fusileers  all  was  made  right, 
and  of  the  four  houses  at  Waterside  his  was  the  only  one 
left  standing.  The  positions  of  these  houses  were  as  follows  : 
The  Tuttle  house  stood  a  few  rods  south  of  the  road  on  the  shore  ; 
the  Elam  Luddington  house  was  a  new  house  on  the  site  of  the 
house  now  owned  by  Capt.  David  Forbes,  and  the  stone  house 
mentioned  in  a  former  paper,  is  now  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Captain 
Bradley,  built  1767.  Directly  opposite  was  the  house  of  Henry 
Freeman  Hughes,  which  was  used  as  office  quarters — not  the 
Henry  Burr  house  before  mentioned,  which  was  built  partly  of 
the  timber  of  the  Henry  Freeman  Hughes  house,  which  was 
demolished  soon  after  the  war. 

There  were  also  sheds  at  Stable  Point,  which  is  a  few  rods 
north  of  the  now  east  end  of  Tomlinson's  Bridge,  also  a  ferry 
house  and  others  on  the  west  side  for  ferry  purposes,  just  under 
the  earthworks  or  battery,  which  was  standing  in  1781  when  the 
late  Beriah  Bradley,  Esq.,  came  to  New  Haven.  Mr.  Bradley 
informed  the  writer  that  the  earthworks  in  his  day  were  on  a 
bluff  with  trees  around  and  had  mounted  on  them  ship  guns,  and 
one  day  a  strange  vessel  was  observed  lying  in  the  harbor,  and 
the  next  day  she  was  gone  and  these  guns  also. 

We  are  informed  by  Major  Benjamin  F.  Mansfield,  town  agent, 
of  this  city,  that  his  father  was  in  all  the  engagements  with  the 
Gen.  Garth  columns  on  their  march  from  West  Haven  to  the 
town,  and  that  several  prisoners  were  taken  at  Hotchkisstown  by 
the  patriots,  and  were  marched  to  the  Green,  where  they  were 
held  for  some  time  ;  and  when  it  was  found  the  enemy  would 


82 

surely  occupy  the  place  they  were  marched  off  to  North  Haven 
and  there  confined  until  the  enemy  had  been  driven  off.  Major 
Mansfield's  father  was  with  Gen.  Wooster  when  mortally  wounded 
at  Ridgefield,  Connecticut.  One  of  these  soldiers  wore  a  bright 
green  nmf orm.  Miss  Sarah  E.  Hughes  also  informs  us  that  during 
the  enemy's  stay  at  Norwalk  a  detachment  of  the  Welch  Fusileers 
deserted  and  came  to  New  Haven  and  called  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Henry  Freeman  Hughes,  at  Waterside,  where  they  remained 
some  time,  and  finally  settled  in  the  neighborhood  after  the  war, 
marrying  Connecticut  wives. 


SECOND  COMPANY  GOVERNOR'S  FOOT  GUARD. 

Having  made  former  mention  of  New  Haven's  Centennial 
Corps,  the  writer  cannot  allow  the  Fourth  of  July  to  pass  without 
making  more  than  ordinary  mention  of  the  splendid  and  brilliant 
record  of  the  Second  Company  of  Governor's  Foot  Guard  of 
Connecticut,  to-day,  as  it  always  has  been,  an  honor  to  our  town ; 
and  where  is  the  New  Havener,  at  home  or  abroad,  who  can  trace 
to  ancestor  or  relation  who  was  one  of  the  original  members  of 
this  company  without  being  proud  to  point  to  him  and  say,  "  He 
was  of  the  Old  Guards,"  and  with  the  same  fraternal  feeling  that 
Wellington  (second  only  to  our  Washington),  had  when  he  hailed 
his  old  Guards  at  Waterloo.  And  we  hope  that  this  highly  dis- 
tinguished and  honorable  corps  will,  on  the  coming  centennial 
celebration,  be  given  its  true  place  of  honor,  the  right  of  the  line, 
which,  with  one  hundred  years  of  faithful  service,  it  has  so  nobly 
earned.  The  first  entry  in  the  record  book  of  the  company  is  the 
following  article  of  association  : 

NEW  HAVEN,  Dec.  28,  1774. 

As  we,  the  subscribers,  are  desirous  to  encourage  the  military 
art  in  the  town  of  New  Haven,  and  in  order  to  have  a  well  disci- 
plined company  in  said  town,  have  agreed  with  Edward  Burke  to 
teach  us  the  military  exercise  for  the  consideration  of  three  pounds 
lawful  money  per  month,  till  such  time  as  we  shall  think  ourselves 
expert  therein. 

We  then  propose  to  form  ourselves  into  a  company,  choose  offi- 
cers and  agree  upon  some  uniform  dress,  such  as  a  red  coat,  white 


83 


vest,  white  breeches  and  stockings,  black  half  legging,  or  any 
other  dress  that  may  be  thought  proper. 

We  also  agree  that  we  will  endeavor  to  furnish  ourselves  with 
guns  and  bayonets  as  near  uniform  as  possible,  and  other  accoutre- 
ments as  may  then  be  thought  necessary.  (But  no  person  shall 
be  obliged  to  equip  himself  as  above  by  signing  this  agreement 
if  he  desires  dismission  before  he  signs  other  articles.) 

This  agreement  only  obliges  every  signer  to  pay  his  propor- 
tional part  of  expenses  of  instruction,  etc. 


Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr., 
Samuel  Greenough, 
Elias  Stillwell, 
Thaddeus  Beecher, 
Aner  Bradley, 
Gold  Sherman, 
Ezekiel  Hayspin, 
William  Noyes, 
Abraham  Tuttle,  Jr., 
Isaiah  Burr, 
Jonathan  Mix, 
Jeremiah  Parmelee, 
Joshua  Newhall, 
Russel  Clark, 
William  Lyon, 
Jabez  Smith, 
Seabury  Champlin, 
James  Hillhouse, 
William  Larman, 
Hezekiah  Augur, 
Pierpont  Edwards, 
James  Warren, 
Nathan  Oakes, 
Daniel  Ingall, 
Elias  Shipman, 
Jonas  Prentice, 
Francis  Sage, 
Archibald  Austin, 
Eleakim  Hitchcock, 
William  Atwater, 
James  Higgins, 
John  Beckwith, 


Amos  Doolittle, 
John  Townsend, 
Ezra  Ford, 
Nathan  Beers,  Jr., 
Nathaniel  Fitch, 
Barnabas  Mulford, 
Parsons  Clark, 
James  Prescott, 
Hanover  Barney, 
Stephen  Herrick, 
Jonathan  Austin, 
David  Burbank, 
Daniel  Bishop. 
Elijah  Austin, 
Samuel  Nevins, 
Amos  Morrison, 
Rossiter  Griffin, 
Eleazer  Oswald, 
John  Thatcher, 
Benoni  Shipman, 
Hezekiah  Bailey, 
Samuel  Willard, 
Jesse  Leavenworth, 
Timothy  Jones,  Jr., 
John  Sherman,  Jr., 
Elisha  Painter, 
Benedict  Arnold, 
Hezekiah  Beecher, 
Amos  Gilbert, 
Kiersted  Mansfield, 
Elias  Townsend, 
Joseph  Peck, 
Caleb  Trowbridge. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  military  company  at  the  State  House  in 
New  Haven,  Thursday  evening,  January  5th.  1775,  Jonas  Prentice 
moderator,  the  following  votes  passed,  viz : 


84 

That  Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr.,  be  the  company  clerk  for  the  month 
ending  Jan.  25th. 

That  any  person  who  is  desirous  of  joining  this  company  shall 
attend  the  general  meetings,  which  are  appointed  every  Thursday 
evening,  and  be  received  by  vote  of  the  company  or  refused. 

At  said  company  meeting  Thursday  evening,  January  26,  1775, 
Nathaniel  Fitch  moderator,  voted  as  follows,  viz : 

That  Thaddeus  Beecher  be  the  company's  clerk  for  one  month, 
ending  Feb.  22. 

That  Edward  Burke  be  the  company's  instructor,  to  be  employed 
for  four  weeks  from  this  date,  and  allowed  for  his  services  four 
pounds. 

That  Messrs.  Parmelee,  Burbank,  Prentice  and  Sabin  be  a 
committee  to  get  fifers  and  drummers ;  that  instructors  be  pro- 
vided to  teach  the  drummers  and  fifers,  and  their  wages  paid  by 
an  equal  tax  on  the  members  of  the  company. 

Thursday  Evening,  Feb.  2,  1775. 

Voted,  That  the  dress  for  the  company  be  as  follows,  viz:  A 
scarlet  coat  of  a  common  length,  the  lappets,  cuffs  and  collar  buff 
and  trimmed  with  plain  silver-wash  buttons;  white  linen  vest, 
breeches  and  stockings,  black  half  legging,  a  small  fashionable 
and  narrow  ruffled  shirt. 

Adjourned  to  Thursday  evening  next. 

Thursday,  February  9,  1775. 

Voted,  That  the  company  supply  themselves  with  a  stand  of 
arms  if  they  are  to  be  had. 

That  Captain  Jonas  Prentice  be  desired  to  make  a  journey  to 
Stratford  to  inquire  how  a  stand  of  arms  can  be  procured,  and 
make  return  to  the  next  meeting. 

Thursday  Evening,  July  (sic)  6. 

Timothy  Jones,  Jr.,  Moderator. 

Voted,  That  Messrs.  Benedict  Arnold,  Jesse  Leavenworth  and 
Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr.,  be  a  committee  to  make  inquiry  how  a  stand 
of  arms  can  be  procured  in  the  best  way. 

That  Hezekiah  Sabin's  cartridge  box  be  a  pattern  for  this 
company. 

That  the  company  uniform  coat  be  made  with  a  side  pocket 
and  noplags. 

That  this  company  on  Monday  next  be  trained  by  their  own 
instructor  provided  Captain  Thomson  will  allow  such  of  the 
company  as  are  on  his  rolls  to  exercise  with  us. 

That  Messrs.  Jonas  Prentice,  Benedict  Arnold  and  Samuel 
Greenough  be  a  committee  to  wait  on  Captain  Thomson  and 
inform  the  company  what  answer  he  gives  to  the  above  desire. 

That  application  be  made  to  the  General  Assembly  at  their 
session  in  March  next  by  this  company  to  be  established  a  distinct 
military  company. 


85 
Thursday  Evening,  Feb.  23,  1775. 


Moderator. 


Voted,  That  Elias  Stillwell  be  the  company's  clerk  for  one 
month,  ending  the  22d  of  March  next. 

That  Messrs.  Jones,  Arnold,  Leavenworth  and  Prentice  be  a 
committee  to  draw  a  petition  and  wait  on  the  Assembly. 

That  the  company's  instructor,  Edward  Burke,  be  employed 
four  weeks  from  the  present  date,  and  allowed  for  his  services 
four  pounds. 

That  Elijah  Austin  import  twelve  pieces  of  colored  broadcloth 
for  company  use. 

Wednesday,  March  1st,  1775. 

Col.  Leveret  Hubbard,  Moderator. 

Voted,  That  Pierpont  Edwards,  Esq.,  is  appointed  our  agent 
to  prepare  a  petition  to  the  General  Assembly.  That  a  memorial 
drawn  up  by  Timothy  Jones,  Jr.,  is  approved  of  by  this  company, 
and  ordered  to  be  presented  to  the  Assembly. 


[Copy  of  the  memorial  preferred  to  the  General  Assembly,  March  2d,  1775.] 

To  the  Honorable  General  Assembly  of  the  Colony  of  Connect- 
icut, now  sitting  at  New  Haven  in  New  Haven  County : 

The  memorial  of  us,  the  subscribers,  inhabitants  of  New  Haven, 
many  of  us  independent  of  any  military  company,  humbly  show- 
eth ;  that  your  memorialists,  anxious  for  the  safety  of  our  country 
and  desirous  of  contributing  all  in  their  power  to  the  support  of 
our  just  rights  and  liberties,  have  formed  themselves  into  a  mili- 
tary company,  have  hired  a  person  to  instruct  them  in  the  military 
art  which  they  are  daily  practicing,  and  have  been  at  much 
expense  in  providing  a  uniform  dress,  etc.  Your  memorialists 
therefore  humbly  pray  Your  Honors  to  construct  them  a  district 
military  company  by  the  name  of  the  Governor's  Second  Com- 
pany of  Guards,  with  power  to  choose  their  proper  officer  to  be 
commissioned  by  Your  Honors,  and  that  they  may  be  under  the 
same  regulation  and  enjoy  the  same  privileges  and  exemption  as 
the  military  company  in  Hartford  called  the  Governor's  Guards  or 
under  such  regulations  as  to  Your  Honors  shall  seem  meet  and 
your  memorialists  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray  (58  members). 

NEW  HAVEN,  March  2d,  1775. 

The  above  is  signed  by  all  the  original  members,  except  Ezekal 
Hayspin,  Russel  Clark,  Barnabus  Mulford,  Samuel  Nevins,  Elias 
Shipman,  Francis  Sage,  William  Atwater,  John  Beckwith,  John 
Thatcher,  Samuel  Willard. 


86 

THE     FIRST     FORMATION     OF     THE     SECOND     COMPANY     GOVERNOR'S  ^ 
FOOT     GUARDS THEIR     EARLY     HISTORY MARCH     UNDER    BENE- 
DICT    ARNOLD     TO     BOSTON BIOGRAPHICAL      SKETCHES     OF     THE 

ORIGINAL    MEMBERS. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  act  incorporating  the  Second 
Company  Governor's  Foot  Guard  : 

Copy  of  an  act  of  the  Honorable  General  Assembly  of  the  Colony  of  Connecti- 
cut for  Constituting  the  Military  Company  called  the  Second  Company  of  the 
Governor's  Foot  Guard. 

At  a  General  Assembly  of  the  Governor  and  Company  of  the 
Colony  of  Connecticut,  holden  at  New  Haven  by  special  order  of 
the  Governor  of  said  Colony  on  the  2d  of  March,  A.  D.  1775, 
upon  the  memorial  of  Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr.,  and  others  of  New 
Haven,  living  within  the  limits  of  New  Haven,  showing  that 
they  have  formed  themselves  into  a  military  company  and  have 
with  great  pains  and  expense  endeavored  to  advance  military 
skill  and  exercise,  and  praying  that  they  may  be  made  a  distinct 
military  company  by  the  name  of  the  Second  Company  of  the 
Governor's  Foot  Guards,  as  per  memorial  on  file — 

Resolved  by  the  General  Assembly,  That  the  memorialists  be 
and  they  are  hereby  constituted  a  distinct  military  company,  by 
the  name  of  the  Governor's  Guards,  consisting  of  sixty-four  in 
number,  rank  and  file,  to  attend  upon  and  guard  the  Governor 
and  General  Assembly  at  all  times  as  occasion  shall  require, 
equipped  with  proper  arms  and  uniformly  dressed,  with  power 
under  the  direction  of  the  field  officer  to  elect  and  choose  their 
own  officers,  viz:  captain,  lieutenant  and  ensign,  and  other  sub- 
ordinate officers  that  shall  be  necessary.  And  that  the  chief  in 
said  company  shall  have  power  in  case  of  death,  dismission,  or 
removal  of  any  of  said  company  to  enlist,  receive  and  enroll 
others  in  the  room  of  those  so  dismissed  or  removed,  provided 
the  number  of  men  in  the  several  companies  in  the  town  of  New 
Haven  be  not  thereby  reduced  below  the  number  by  law  estab- 
lished. And  said  company  shall  be  subject  to  the  general  law  as 
to  day  and  time  of  training  and  mustering,  and  are  hereby 
exempt  from  being  called  upon  and  from  doing  any  military 
duty  in  any  other  company.  And  the  Colonel  of  the  Second 
regiment  of  militia  in  this  colony  shall  cause  them  to  be  duly 
warned  and  lead  them  to  the  choice  of  the  captains  lieutenant 
and  ensign.  And  that  the  commission  officers  of  the  said,  or  a 
major  part  of  them,  shall  have  full  power  to  dismiss  any  member 
of  said  company  upon  application  by  them  made  and  sufficient 
reason  shown ;  provided,  nevertheless,  that  the  person  so  dismissed, 
if  liable  to  train  before  his  enlistment  into  said  company,  be 
still  liable  to  train  according  to  the  law  of  this  Colony.  And 
that  the  said  Second  Company  of  Guards  shall  have  power,  by 
their  major  vote,  to  nominate  and  appoint  days  and  times  of 


87 

meeting,  and  training,  and  military  exercises  over  and  above  the 
day  and  times  already  limited  and  appointed  by  law  for  that 
purpose,  and  to  appoint  and  set  fines  for  and  penalties  on  such 
soldiers  as  shall  neglect  to  attend  at  such  days  and  times  of  train- 
ing and  exercise,  and  the  same  by  warrant  from  the  commission 
officer  of  said  company  to  levy  and  collect ;  provided  such  fines 
and  penalties  do  not  exceed  the  sum  by  law  inflicted  for  like 
offenses  in  the  other  military  companies  in  this  Colony. 
Transcribed  from  the  Secretary. 

Attest  copy  of  Colony  Record. 

Thursday,  March  7,  1775. 
Benedict  Arnold,  Moderator. 

Voted,  That  the  company  be  uniformly  dressed  before  the  offi- 
cers are  chosen. 

That  this  company  appear  uniformly  dressed  on  the  loth  of 
April  next. 

Friday,  March  10,  1775. 
Elisha  Painter,  Moderator. 

Voted,  That  Mr.  Eleazer  Oswald  is  appointed  to  make  a  journey 
to  Merideu  to  engage  a  tifer  and  to  employ  Mr.  Penfield  to  make 
two  drums  for  the  company. 

Monday,  March  13,  1775. 

Voted,  That  we  reconsider  a  former  vote  with  respect  to  choos- 
ing officers,  and  appoint  for  that  purpose  Thursday,  16th  March, 
at  2  o'clock  P.  M. 

March  16th,  1775. 

Col.  Leverett  Hubbard  in  the  chair —  Voted,  That  a  petition  be 
presented  to  the  General  Assembly  in  October  next  for  liberty  to 
choose  our  non-commissioned  officers  every  year. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  elected  officers  by  vote  of  the 
company,  viz:  Benedict  Arnold,  Captain;  Jesse  Leaven  worth, 
Lieutenant ;  Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr.,  Ensign ;  Samuel  Greenough, 
Eliakim  Hitchcock,  Nathaniel  Fitch,  Jeremiah  Parmelee,  William 
Lyon,  Clerk.  The  choice  of  corporals  was  postponed. 

March  23d,  1775. 

Jesse  Leavenworth,  Moderator —  Voted,  That  Edward,  Burke, 
the  company  instructor,  be  employed  four  weeks  from  present 
date  and  allowed  for  his  services  four  pounds;  that  the  company 
attend  the  military  exercises  at  5  o'clock,  morning  and  evening. 
Adjourned  to  Thursday  evening  next. 

MONDAY,  April  3d,  1775. 

Elias  Stillwell,  Moderator —  Voted,  That  this  company  for  the 
present  delay  purchasing  a  stand  of  arms  and  repair  their  old 
ones  ;  that  the  Norfolk  plan  of  exercise  be  taught  this  company ; 
that  Elijah  Austin's  bill  for  buff  broad  cloth  is  accepted,  and  that 
said  cloth  is  to  remain  in  his  hands  to  be  dealt  out  to  the  com- 
pany in  suit  for  regimental  coats  at  6s.  per  man,  he  accounting 
with  the  company  therefor. 


88 

TUESDAY,  April  4th,  1775. 

Amos  Morrison,  Moderator —  Voted,  That  Mr.  Greenough  has 
presented  to  the  company  as  a  pattern  is  approved  of  as  to  cut, 
color  and  cost ;  that  Mr.  Burr  is  to  purchase  blank  ribbons  for 
the  cockades  that  may  be  wanted  in  his  company;  that  the  uni- 
form for  head  dress  be  a  club  behind  the  side  locks,  braided  and 
powdered  ;  that  black  garters  fastened  with  black  buttons  be 
worn  by  the  company ;  that  for  the  future  the  following  is 
established  for  the  method  of  admitting  members  into  this 
company,  viz:  the  candidate  not  admitted  unless  every  mem- 
ber present  be  in  his  favor,  but  if  there  is  a  majority  for  his 
admission  it  shall  be  postponed  to  the  next  general  meet- 
ing and  a  majority  in  the  meantime  apply  to  the  commission 
officer  with  objections,  who  shall  hear  the  same  and  endeavor  to 
have  the  matter  settled,  but  if  it  cannot  be  done  then  the  affair  is 
to  be  laid  before  the  company. 

THURSDAY  EVENING,  April  6. 

James  Hillhouse,  Moderator —  Voted,  That  the  drummers  be 
dressed  in  buff,  faced  with  scarlet. 

That  the  fifers  be  dressed  in  plain  scarlet  coats,  with  buff  collars 
and  cuffs. 

That  the  company's  clerk  draw  up  a  subscription  paper  to 
procure  money  to  defray  the  expenses  of  said  clothing. 

THURSDAY  EVENING,  April  13,  1775. 

Thaddeus  Beecher,  Moderator —  Voted,  That  the  company 
attend  military  exercises  at  five  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  six  o'clock  p.  M., 
and  those  members  that  do  not  attend  once  a  day  be  fined  4d., 
and  the  officers  if  absent  as  above  be  fined  8d.  each,  to  be  applied 
towards  defraying  the  company's  expenses. 

That  half  a  day  in  each  week  until  the  general  muster  be  set 
apart  for  training,  and  that  a  fine  of  one  shilling  be  imposed  on 
absent  members,  and  that  Sunday  in  the  afternoon  is  appointed  as 
muster  for  this  week. 

THURSDAY  EVENING,  April  20th,  1775. 

Nathan  Beers,  Moderator  —  Voted,  That  Mr.  Edward  Burke, 
the  company  instructor,  be  dismissed  from  the  company  with  a 
character  of  good  instructor,  and  that  the  clerk  is  ordered  to  give 
Mr.  Burke  a  written  dismission  to  that  effect. 

That  the  second  vote  of  the  6th  of  April  respecting  the  dress 
of  the  drummers  be  rescinded,  and  instead  of  buff  be  substituted 
any  light  color,  lapelled  with  scarlet. 

That  the  clergy  of  New  Haven,  viz :  those  living  in  the  town 
plot,  be  invited  to  dine  with  this  company  the  2d  day  of  May 
next. 


89 


THE  MARCH  TO  CAMBRIDGE. 

The  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  arrived  at  New  Haven  on 
Friday,  the  21st  of  April,  about  noon,  and  Captain  Arnold  imme- 
diately called  out  his  company  and  proposed  their  starting  for 
Lexington  to  join  the  American  army.  About  forty  of  them  con- 
sented to  accompany  their  commander.  Being  in  want  of  ammu- 
nition, Arnold  requested  the  town  authorities  to  furnish  the 
company,  which  they  refused  to  do.  The  next  day,  immediately 
before  they  started,  Arnold  marched  his  company  to  the  house 
where  the  Selectmen  were  sitting,  and  after  forming  them  in  front 
of  the  building  sent  in  word  that  if  the  keys  of  the  powder  house 
were  not  delivered  up  in  five  minutes  he  would  order  the  company 
to  break  it  open  and  furnish  themselves.  This  had  the  desired 
effect  and  the  keys  were  delivered  up.  They  stopped  at  Wethers- 
field  the  second  night,  where  the  inhabitants  vied  with  each  other 
in  their  \attention  to  them.  They  took  the  middle  road  through 
Pomfret,  at  which  place  they  were  joined  by  General  Putnam. 
On  the  Guards'  arrival  at  Cambridge  they  took  up  their  quarters 
at  a  splendid  mansion  owned  by  Lieutenant  Governor  Oliver, 
who  was  obliged  to  flee  on  account  of  his  attachment  to  the 
British  cause.  The  company  was  the  only  one  on  the  ground 
complete  in  their  uniform  and  equipment,  and  owing  to  their 
soldierlike  appearance  were  appointed  to  deliver  the  body  of  a 
British  officer  who  had  been  taken  prisoner  by  the  Americans  and 
had  died  in  consequence  of  his  wounds  received  at  the  battle  of 
Lexington.  Upon  this  occasion  one  of  the  British  officers, 
appointed  to  receive  the  body  from  the  guards,  expressed  his  sur- 
prise at  seeing  an  American  company  appear  so  well  in  every 
respect,  observing  that  in  their  military  movements  and  equip- 
ments "  they  were  not  excelled  by  any  of  His  Majesty's  troops. 

After  remaining  nearly  three  weeks  at  Cambridge  the  Guards 
(except  those  who  remained  in  the  army)  returned  to  New  Haven. 

The  company,  for  certain  reasons,  went  to  Cambridge  under 
the  name  of  the  New  Haven  Cadets. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  agreement  subscribed  to  by 
Captain  Arnold  and  his  company  of  fifty  men  when  they  set  out 
from  Connecticut  and  went  as  volunteers  to  the  assistance  of  the 
Provincials  at  Cambridge : 


90 

To  all   Christian   people  believing   in  and   relying  on   that  God   to  whom  our 
enemies  have  at  last  forced  us  to  appeal. 

Be  it  known,  That  we,  the  subscribers,  having  taken  up  arms 
for  the  relief  of  our  brethren  and  defence  of  theirs  as  well  as  our 
just  rights  and  privileges,  declare  to  the  world  that  we  from  our 
hearts  disavow  every  thought  of  rebellion  to  His  Majesty  as 
supreme  head  of  the  British  Empire  or  of  opposition  to  the  legal 
authority,  and  shall  on  every  occasion  manifest  to  the  world  bjr 
our  conduct  this  to  be  our  fixed  principle.  Driven  to  the  last 
necessity  and  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  arms  in  defense  of  our 
lives  and  liberties,  and  from  the  suddenness  of  the  occasion 
deprived  of  that  legal  authority  the  dictates  of  which  we  ever 
with  pleasure  obey,  find  it  necessary  for  preventing  disorder, 
irregularities  and  misunderstandings  in  the  course  of  our  march 
and  service,  solemnly  agree  to  and  with  each  other  on  the  follow- 
ing regulations  and  orders,  binding  ourselves  by  all  that  is  dear 
and  sacred  carefully  and  constantly  to  observe  and  keep  them. 
In  the  first  place  we  will  conduct  ourselves  decently  and  inoffen- 
sively as  we  march,  both  to  our  countrymen  and  one  another, 
paying  that  regard  to  the  advice,  admonition  and  reproof  of  our 
officers  which  their  station  justly  entitles  them  to  expect,  ever 
considering  the  dignity  of  our  character,  and  that  we  are  not 
mercenaries  whose  views  extend  no  farther  than  pay  and  plunder, 
but  men  acquainted  with  and  feeling  the  most  generous  fondness 
for  the  liberties  and  inalienable  rights  of  mankind,  and  who  are 
in  the  course  of  divine  providence  called  to  the  honorable  service 
of  hazarding  our  lives  in  their  defense. 

Secondly — Drunkenness,  gaming,  profaneness  and  every  vice 
of  that  nature,  will  be  avoided  by  ourselves  and  discountenanced 
by  us  in  others. 

Thirdly — So  long  as  we  continue  in  our  present  situation  of  a 
voluntary  independent  company,  we  engage  to  submit  on  all 
occasions  to  such  decisions  as  shall  be  made  and  given  by  a  major- 
ity of  the  officers  we  have  chosen,  and  when  any  difference  arises 
between  man  and  man  it  shall  be  laid  before  the  officers,  the  cap- 
tain, lieutenant,  ensign,  sergeant,  clerk  and  corporal,  the  captain, 
or  in  his  absence  the  commanding  officer,  to  be  moderator  and 
have  a  turning  or  casting  vote  in  all  the  debates,  from  whom  all 
orders  shall  from  time  to  time  issue,  scorning  all  ignoble  motives 
and  superior  to  the  low  and  slavish  practice  of  enforcing  on  men 
their  duty  by  blows.  It  is  agreed  that  when  private  admonition 
for  any  offense  by  any  of  our  body  committed,  will  not  reform, 
public  notice  shall  be  made,  and  if  that  should  not  have  the 
desired  effect,  after  proper  pains  taken,  and  the  same  repeated, 
such  incorrigible  person  shall  be  turned  out  of  the  company  as 
totally  unworthy  of  serving  in  so  great  and  glorious  a  cause,  and 
be  delivered  over  to  suffer  the  contempt  of  his  countrymen. 

As  to  particular  orders,  it  shall  from  time  to  time  be  in  the 
power  of  the  officers  to  make  and  vary  them,  as  occasion  may 


91 

require,  as  to  delivering  out  provisions,  ammunitions,  rules  and 
orders  for  marching,  etc. 

The  annexed  order  for  the  present  we  think  pertinent  and 
agreeable  to  our  mind,  to  which  with  the  additions  or  variations 
that  may  be  made  by  our  said  officers,  we  bind  ourselves  by  the 
ties  above  mentioned,  to  submit.  In  witness  whereof  we  have 
hereunto  set  our  hands,  this  24th  day  of  April,  1 775. 

THURSDAY  EVENING,  May  25th,  1775. 

Gold  Sherman,  Moderator — Voted,  That  for  the  future  any 
member  that  is  admitted  into  the  company  be  obliged  to  dress 
himself  uniformly  in  three  weeks  unless  he  gives  sufficient  reason 
to  the  contrary. 

JUNE  15,  1775. 

Thaddeus  Beecher,  Moderator — Voted,  That  twelve  men  be 
chosen  from  the  company  to  act  as  grenadiers. 

JUNE  22d,  1 775. 

Voted,  That  Messrs.  Thatcher,  Sabin  and  Shipman  be  a  com- 
mittee to  provide  caps  for  the  grenadiers  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
that  this  motto  be  engraved  upon  the  plate : 

"  For  Religion  and  Liberty." 


Note  copied  as  it  appeared  in  record : — 

"  Last  Wednesday,  His  Excellency  General  Washington,  Major 
General  Lee,  Major  Thomas  Mifflin,  General  Washington's  aid- 
de-camp,  and  Samuel  Griffin,  Esq.,  General  Lee's  aid-de-camp, 
arrived  in  town  and  early  next  morning  set  out  for  the  provincial 
camp  near  Boston,  attended  by  numbers  of  the  inhabitants. 
They  were  escorted  by  two  companies  (one  of  them  the  guards, 
probably),  and  a  company  of  youug  gentlemen  from  the  sem- 
inary." 

SEMINARY  (Yale  College,  probably),  ) 
October  2d,  1775.  ) 

Voted,  That  the  company  on  the  2d  Thursday  of  this  mouth 
escort  His  Honor  the  Governor  and  the  Council  to  the  Council 
Chamber  at  8  o'clock  A.  M. 

OCTOBER  16th,  1775. 

That  for  the  future  when  any  officer  is  absent  his  place  shall  be 
filled  by  a  man  chosen  out  of  the  ranks  and  not  be  the  next  in 
command  unless  the  company  orders  otherwise;  nevertheless, 
provided  that  the  vote  shall  not  extend  to  the  commissioned 
officer,  but  that  they  rise  by  succession. 


92 


WARNED  FOR  THE  DEFENSE  OF  NEW  HAVEN,  ETC. 

STATE  OP  CONNECTICUT, 
By  the  Captain  General. 
To  the  present  Commanding  Officer  of  the  Governor's  Guard,  at 
New  Haven,  Greeting : 

You  are  directed  to  see  that  your  said  Guard  is  duly  armed 
and  equipped,  and  held  in  readiness  to  march  for  the  defense  of 
said  town  of  New  Haven  and  others  on  the  sea  coast. 

And  your  are  further  ordered  upon  information  of  the  approach 
or  appearance  of  an  enemy,  at  the  request  of  the  civil  authority 
or  Selectmen  of  said  New  Haven,  to  muster,  array  and  equip 
your  said  company,  and  do  your  utmost  to  defeat,  repel  and 
destroy  them. 

Given  under  my  hand  in  Lebanon  the  llth  day  of  September, 
Anno  Dom.  1776. 

JONATHAN  TRUMBULL. 
The  above  is  a  true  Copy. 
Attest.  JOHN  SHERMAN, 

Juror  and  Clerk. 

THURSDAY,  October,  — ,  1777. 

Nathaniel  Fitch,  Moderator —  Voted,  That  fines,  hereafter  shall 
be  applied  for  purchasing  powder ;  that  this  company  will  wear 
their  uniform  the  first  Sunday  in  October  after  the  meeting  of 
the  Assembly. 

Monday,  October  12th,  1778,  the  following  order  from  His 
Excellency,  the  Governor,  was  read  : 

STATE  OF  CONNECTICUT. 
By  the  Captain  General. 
To  the  Commander  of  the  Governor's  Guards  at  Neio  Haven  : 

You  are  hereby  ordered  and  directed  to  furnish  and  order  a 
guard  of  two  sentinels  to  attend  at  the  door  of  His  Excellency 
the  Governor's  lodgings,  from  eight  of  ye  clock  in  the  evening 
through  the  night  during  the  sessions  of  this  Assembly,  as  per 
advice  of  my  council. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  New  Haven,  the  9th  of  October,  1778. 

JONATHAN  TKUMBULL. 

June  2Uh,  1783. 

Voted,  That  Messrs.  Jacob  Daggett  and  Isaac  Doolittle  be  a 
committee  to  procure  the  loan  of  arms  from  the  selectmen  for  the 
use  of  the  Company. 

October  23d,  1788. 

Voted,  That  a  memorial  to  the  General  Assembly,  asking  the 
loan  of  a  number  of  arms  for  the  Company  use,  read  this  evening 
by  Captain  Hillhouse,  be  presented  this  session.  At  which  session 
the  use  of  said  arms  was  granted  to  Second  Company  of  Gov- 
ernor's Guard. 


93 

May  1st,  1786. 

Voted,  That  the  present  clerk  shall  receive  twenty  per  cent., 
for  doing  the  business  of  the  Company. 

Jacob  Daggett  was  then  clerk. 

In  the  list  of  deaths  we  find  the  following  entry : 

"David  Moulthrope,  July  22d,  1788,  aged  28,  murdered  by  the 
enemy  in  New  York  prison." 

The  temperance  reform  is  of  later  date  than  the  following  vote : 

May  1st,  1789. 

Voted,  That  the  committee  appointed  to  procure  an  entertain- 
ment for  the  Company  on  the  first  Monday  in  this  month,  be 
empowered  to  contract  for  liquor  to  the  amount  of  Is.  for  each 
man,  and  that  they  be  directed  to  invite  the  Rev.  James  Dana,  to 
dine  with  the  Company  on  said  day  mentioned  above. 

October  25th,  1793. 

Benjamin  Beecher,  Elihu  Spencer,  Samuel  Ward,  Luther 
Bradley  and  Wm.  Lyon,  Jr.,  were  admitted  as  members  of  the 
Company. 

May  15th,  1795. 

Captain  Wm.  Lyon  resigned  his  office,  and  his  successor  was 
appointed. 

Upon  taking  leave  of  the  Company,  Captain  Lyon  made  the 
following  remarks.  They  are  not  upon  record,  but  were  found 
among  some  old  papers,  in  the  possession  of  a  gentleman  of  this 
city,  a  descendant  of  his. 

"GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  GOVERNOR'S  GUARD:  I  presume  the 
present  occasion  is  the  last  time  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  with  you  as  a  member.  I  therefore  crave  your  patience 
to  a  short  address. 

As  a  considerable  number  before  whom  I  now  speak,  are  not 
fully  acquainted  with  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  company,  it 
may  not  be  improper  to  give  a  concise  account  thereof  on  the 
present  occasion.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  1774,  my  very  dear  and 
honored  friend,  Samuel  Greenougb,  now  of  Boston,  proposed  to 
myself  and  a  few  others  of  his  friends,  the  raising  an  inde- 
pendent Company.  Fifty-eight  gentlemen  soon  associated,  and 
obtained  from  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State,  in  January, 
1775,  an  act  constituting  them  a  Military  Company.  At  their 
first  election  of  officers,  in  March  following,  Benedict  Arnold, 
Esq.  was  appointed  Captain,  he  entering  into  the  American  Army, 
rose  to  the  rank  of  Major  General.  His  knowledge,  activity  and 
bravery,  for  several  years,  and  his  final  infamous  defection  at 
West  Point,  are  too  well  known  to  need  any  comment.  In  1779, 
Hezekiah  Sabin,  Esq.  was  elected  Captain,  and  being  promoted  to 

13 


94 

the  command  of  a  regiment  in  1780,  the  Hon.  James  Hillhouse 
was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  1783  he  was  appointed  Major 
of  a  regiment,  but  resigning  both  that  and  the  command  of  his 
company,  he  was  succeeded  by  Daniel  Bishop,  Esq.  who  resigning 
his  commission  in  1786,  was  followed  by  Nathaniel  Fitch,  Esq.,  he 
procuring  a  dismission  in  October,  1788,  you  were  pleased  to 
appoint  for  the  Captain,  the  man  who  now  has  the  honor  of 
addressing  you.  This  mark  of  your  esteem  was  gratifying  my 
ambition  to  the  utmost,  but  I  accepted  the  office  with  diffidence 
from  a  full  conviction  that  I  was  placed  over  a  number  of  gentle- 
men, on  many  accounts,  my  superiors. 

I  have  ever  aimed  at  the  greatest  impartiality  in  the  discharge 
of  my  duty,  and  to  the  utmost  of  my  power,  promoted  the  welfare, 
the  honor,  and  the  privileges  of  the  company.  If  my  conduct  on 
the  whole  has  given  satisfaction  I  rejoice,  and  trust  that  your 
candor  will  excuse  my  errors. 

In  May  last,  the  Hon.  General  Assembly  were  pleased  to  give 
me  the  command  of  a  regiment,  a  task  to  which,  in  my  present 
low  state  of  health,  I  feel  myself  very  unequal.  I  consider  the 
appointment  a  compliment  paid  this  Company,  as  it  sanctions 
their  choice,  and  promotes  a  man  whom  they  had  first  distin- 
guished. Twenty  years  have  elapsed  since  raising  this  Company. 
In  that  time  nineteen  persons  have  died  belonging  to  it,  and  two 
others,  who  had  been  members,  were  dismissed. 

His  Excellencey  the  Governor,  at  my  fourth  application,  has 
granted  me  a  dismission  from  the  command  of  the  Guards  which  I. 
have  held  more  than  six  years,  double  the  time  I  determined  or 
expected,  on  my  accepting  the  commission.  I  leave  behind  me 
but  two  of  the  original  members.  I  should  be  guilty  of  black 
ingratitude  if  I  did  not,  in  the  most  explicit  manner,  return  to 
you  my  thanks  for  all  the  obliging  marks  of  esteem  and  friendship 
that  I  have  received  from  you,  for  your  prompt  obedience  when 
under  arms,  and  for  that  general  orderly  conduct  which  on  many 
occasions,  and  particularly  in  October,  1793,  attracted  the  notice 
and  received  the  approbation  of  the  most  dignified  members  of 
the  Legislature.  These  things,  while  they  give  the  camp  any 
respectability,  are  peculiarly  grateful  to  the  officer  commanding. 
I  cannot  suppress  my  feelings,  as  a  man,  nor  take  my  leave  with 
cold  indifference. 

Believe  me,  gentlemen,  from  the  long  intimate  acquaintance  and 
mutual  exchange  of  kind  offices,  you  are  become  dear  to  me,  and 
I  shall  ever  retain  a  pleasing  remembrance  of  the  many  days  we 
have  passed  together  in  great  sociability,  a  pleasure  that  has 
never  been  alloyed  by  any  altercation  between  me  and  my  re- 
spected Company.  In  every  situation  of  my  future  life,  my  "best 
wishes,  and  on  every  proper  occasion  my  best  services  attend  you. 
Suffer  me  to  hope  that  this  affection  is  mutual,  and  that  the  mem- 
bers of  this  Company  will  not  at  once  forget  a  man  who  is 
warmly  attached  to  them. 


95 

I  have  no  doubt  that  your  conduct  under  your  new  Captain 
will  be  such  as  will  do  you  and  him  honor,  nor  do  I  feel  at  all 
abashed  in  delivering  over  to  any  gentleman,  the  Company  I  have 
lately  had  the  honor  to  command. 

Gentlemen,  I  bid  you  an  affectionate  farewell. 

WILLIAM  LYON." 

Lieutenant  Hanover  Barney  and  Parsons  Clarke,  are  probably 
the  persons  alluded  to  as  the  two  remaining  original  members. 

At  the  same  meeting  of  the  Company,  the  following  vote, 
together  with  several  others,  was  passed,  viz : 

Voted,  That  the  knapsacks  be  deposited  with  the  Captain  on 
or  before  the  first  day  of  September  next. 

We  infer  from  this  that  the  Company  had  knapsacks  at  that 
time,  although  this  is  the  first  allusion  made  to  them  in  the  records. 

August  25th,  1796. 

Voted,  That  Captain  Dyer  White,  Lieutenant  Hanover  Barney, 
and  Ensign  James  Merriman,  be  appointed  agents  to  prefer  a 
memorial  to  the  General  Assembly  at  their  next  session,  to  obtain 
an  alteration  in  our  charter,  so  far  as  to  enable  the  commanding 
ofiicer  to  enlist  men  to  the  number  of  sixty-four,  out  of  the  militia 
companies  in  the  town  of  New  Haven,  notwithstanding  there 
may  not  be  sixty-four  rank  and  file  in  each  of  said  militia 
companies. 

May  1th,  1798. 

Voted,  That  no  person  be  admitted  to  this  Company,  unless  he 
be  five  feet  five  inches  high. 

That  the  Guards  meet  at  the  usual  place  of  parade  on  the  4th 
day  of  July  next,  at  half  past  8  o'clock  A.  M.  in  order  to  celebrate 
Independence. 

This  appears  to  be  the  first  parade  of  the  Company  for  that 
purpose,  at  least  as  far  as  we  can  learn  by  any  record. 

September  26th,  1803. 

Voted,  That  those  soldiers  who  have  long  hair  shall  have  it 
plaited  and  turned  up,  to  conform  to  those  that  have  short. 

May  1th,  1804. 

Voted,  That  there  be  a  committee  appointed  to  petition  the 
Assembly  for  an  enlargement  of  the  powers  in  the  charter  of  said 
Company. 

The  three  commissioned  officers  appointed  such  committee. 
The  first  band  in  New  Haven,  attached  to  any  military  company, 
was  that  for  this  corps  formed  in  1806. 


96 

May  4th,  1807. 

Voted,  That  the  sample  coat  now  presented  by  Lucius  Atwater, 
viz:  red,  turned  up  with  black  velvet  trimmed  with  gilt  cord,  be 
adopted  as  a  uniform  for  the  Company,  excepting  the  length,  the 
length  to  come  within  two  inches  of  the  knee. 

That  the  Company  appear  on  parade  complete,  in  the  above 
uniform,  on  the  first  Monday  of  September  next.  That  the  facings 
on  the  skirts  of  the  coats  be  white  kerseymere. 

That  the  belts  of  the  Company  be  all  white  webbing. 

June  2d,  1809. 

Voted,  That  every  new  member  pay  seventy-five  cents  for  the 
benefit  of  the  ammunition  chest. 

That  any  member  leaving  the  Company,  forfeit  his  right  to  the 
ammunition  chest. 

August  22d,  1809. 

Voted,  That  as  a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  our 
highly  popular  chief  magistrate,  his  Excellency  the  Governor, 
Jonathan  Trumbull,  Esq.,*  the  Company  wear  crape  every  parade 
day  this  fall. 

Copy  of  the  Resolve  of  the  Honorable,  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  enlarging  the  privileges  of  the 
Second  Company  of  Governor's  Foot  Guards. 

At  a  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  holden  at 
New  Haven,  on  the  second  Thursday  of  October,  1809. 

Upon  the  petition  of  Jeremiah  Attwater,  3d,  of  New  Haven, 
showing  this  Assembly  that  by  the  existing  charter  of  the  Second 
Company  of  Governor's  Foot  Guards,  which  the  petitioner  com- 
mands ;  said  company  consists  of  one  captain,  one  lieutenant,  one 
ensign  and  sixty-four  rank  and  file;  that  the  said  company  is 
under  the  necessity  of  chosing  non-commissioned  officers  to  serve 
for  one  year  only;  and  that  being  desirous  of  promoting  the 
respectability  and  good  discipline  of  said  Company,  and  in  pur- 
suance of  a  vote  of  the  same,  the  petitioner  prays  the  Assembly 
to  make  certain  alterations  in  the  charter  of  said  Company,  as 
per  petition  on  file. 

Resolved  by  this  Assembly,  that  said  Company  may  hereafter 
consist  of  one  captain,  four  lieutenants,  one  ensign,  eight  sergeants, 
eight  corporals  and  ninety-six  privates,  and  that  said  Company 
shall  hereafter  have  liberty  to  choose  their  non-commissioned 
officers  to  serve  for  an  indefinite  length  of  time ;  and  that  the 
captain  of  said  Company  is  hereby  authorized  to  enlist  men  from 
the  companies  of  New  Haven,  East  Haven,  North  Haven,  Ham- 
den  and  Woodbridge,  to  augment  said  Company  to  said  number. 
Provided,  that  in  consequence  of  such  enlistment,  the  other  mil- 

*  Died  at  his  seat  at  Lebanon,  August  7,  1809. 


97 

itary  companies  in  said  towns,  out  of  which  he  shall  enlist,  shall 
not  be  reduced  below  the  number  of  sixty-four  rank  and  file. 
A  true  copy  of  Record,  examined  by 

THOMAS  DAY. 

Assistant  Secretary. 

Transcribed  from  the  Assistant  Secretary's  attested  copy. 
Attest :  T.  BISHOP,  Clerk. 

The  company,  until  this  year,  dined  together  twice  yearly.  A 
motion  was  made  to  the  effect  that  the  company  dine  together  on 
the  first  Monday  of  May,  which  was  negatived;  but  the  practice 
of  dining  together  once  a  year  was  kept  up  until  within  a  few 

years. 

Resolve  of  the  General  Assembly,  passed  October  30,  1811. 

Resolved  by  this  Assembly,  That  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  be 
allowed  in  future  for  each  man  of  the  Second  Company  of  Gov- 
ernor's Foot  Guards,  including  hired  music,  actually  on  duty,  on 
the  day  of  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  at  October  session, 
and  that  the  comptroller  is  directed  to  allow  the  account  of  the 
commander  of  said  Company,  and  to  draw  an  order  on  the  Treas- 
urer for  the  amount  thereof  accordingly. 

General  Assembly,  October  Session,  1811,  Passed. 

Attest :  W.  J.  WILLIAMS, 

Clerk  of  H.  R. 

Concurred  in  the  Upper  House. 

Attest :  THOMAS  DAY, 

Secretary. 

This  year  the  company  completed  its  organization  in  regard  to 
the  non-commissioned  officers,  in  conformity  to  the  late  amend- 
ment of  its  charter. 

MAY  7th,  1813. 

Major  Bradley,  Chairman —  Voted,  That  the  Second  Company 
of  Governor's  Foot  Guards  in  New  Haven,  deeming  it  highly 
important  that  some  measures  should  be  adopted  for  the  safety  of 
our  city  in  case  of  any  sudden  attack,  severally  engage  to  volun- 
teer our  services  for  its  defense,  and  do  consider  ourselves  in 
honor  bound,  upon  an  alarm  being  given,  to  repair  with  all  pos- 
sible speed,  with  our  arms  to  the  place  of  rendezvous  which  shall 
be  agreed,  and  to  act  in  as  strict  obedience  to  the  commands  of 
our  superior  officers  present  as  when  on  parade  duty.  The  place 
of  rendezvous  shall  be  the  center  of  the  lower  Green.  The  sig- 
nal agreed  upon  is  the  ringing  of  the  church  bell,  accompanied 
by  the  discharge  of  two  cannon  in  succession. 

Signed,  LUTHER  BRADLEY,  Chairman. 

Attest :  W.  SHERMAX,  Clerk. 


98 

NEW  HAVEN,  April  9th,  1814. 

Information  having  been  received  that  a  British  frigate  and 
man-of-war  brig  (same  which  sent  seven  barges  up  Connecticut 
river  and  burnt  twenty-six  vessels  at  Pettipaug*)  were  ofl 
Guilford,  and  standing  towards  this  port.  By  request  of  General 
Howe,  and  other  military  officers,  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  mayor,  the  Second  Company  of  Governor's  Foot  Guards 
were  ordered  out  under  arms,  after  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening 
and  stood  guard  on  the  Long  Wharf  until  morning. 

The  following  members  were  on  duty  during  the  night,  viz: 

Major  Bradley,  Corp.  At  water,  S.  Chatterton, 

Lieut.  Bishop,  B.  Bassett,  P.  Lexton, 

"      Doolittle,  J.  Barnes,  D.  Brown,  1st, 

"      Platt,  G-.  Mansfield,  S.  Woodward, 

Ensign  Beach,  H.  Mix,  L.  Griswold, 

Sergt.  Hotchkiss,  Eli  B.  Austin,  G.  Morse, 

"      Mattoon,  B.  Thompson,  J.  G.  law, 

"      Fenn,  B.  Resraison,  D.  Brown,  2d, 

"      Sherman,  J.  Tnttle,  L.  Albrecht, 

Corp.  Tuttle,  F.  Laforges,  J.  English, 

"     Bradley,  D.  M.  Walbridge,  Bela  Peck. 

WEDNESDAY,  April  13,  1814. 

A  British  frigate  and  man-of-war  brig  and  tender  maneuvered  off 
the  harbor  this  day,  and  came  to  anchor  a  few  miles  to  the  west- 
ward of  this  port  at  evening. 

The  Company  were  warned  to  appear  at  S.  Bishop's  Hotel  at 
seven  o'clock  p.  M.,  where  they  met  and  then  marched  to  the 
State  House,  where  arms  and  ammunition  (12  rounds  ball  cart- 
ridges) were  distributed  and  the  Company  ordered  to  hold  them- 
selves in  readiness  and  repair  to  the  flag-staff  on  the  lower  Green 
in  case  of  alarm.  Alarm  to  be  given  by  guns  from  the  Fort, 
firing  on  Prospect  Hill,  and  ringing  of  bells. 

AUGUST  25,  1814. 

Voted,  That  the  Guards  appear  with  knapsacks  and  canteens 
on  Wednesday  morning  next,  at  seven  o'clock  for  the  purpose 
of  placing  themselves  under  the  direction  of  the  Committee 
appointed  to  fortify  Beacon  Hill,  in  East  Haven. 

TUESDAY,  August  30, 1814. 

In  conformity  to  the  above  vote,  the  Company  met  on  the 
parade  ground,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  equipped 
with  knapsacks,  canteens,  shovels,  picks,  hoes,  crow-bars,  etc.,  and 
after  being  formed,  marched,  with  music  and  colors,  to  Beacon 
Hill,  where  they  diligently  labored  until  half  past  five  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  when  they  again  formed  and  marched  with  a  quick 
step,  and  halted  at  the  store  of  Lieut.  Doolittle,  received  some 
refreshments,  and  dismissed. 

*  Now  Essex. 


99 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  his  Excellency  the  Governor 
visited  the  works  and  on  his  approval  a  salute  from  the  music, 
and  three  hearty  cheers  from  the  Company  were  given. 

TUESDAY,  September  6,  1814. 

Express — Information  was  received  this  morning  by  express 
to  Gen.  Howe,  that  the  enemy  in  considerable  numbers  were  land- 
ing near  Branford.  The  alarm  was  soon  given  by  the  discharge 
of  cannon  and  ringing  of  bells,  whereupon  the  members  of  the 
Company  immediately  assembled  and  took  up  their  march  for  the 
place  of  rendezvous,  to  wait  for  orders  where  they  continued 
until  nearly  night,  when  advice  was  received  that  the  enemy  had 
withdrawn,  and  the  Company  returned  to  the  place  of  parade  and 
and  were  dismissed. 

JANUARY  12,  1824. 

Pursuant  to  an  order  from  the  sheriff,  Maj.  Granniss,  called  out  a 
detachment  of  the  Guards,  consisting  of  twenty-six  members,  to 
suppress  a  riot,  whice  had  been  created  through  improper  con- 
duct on  the  part  of  some  members  of  the  Medical  Institute,  and 
remained  on  duty  until  seven  o'clock  next  morning.  The  follow- 
ing night  (Jan.  13),  another  detachment  of  twenty  men,  were 
ordered  out,  and  remained  on  duty  all  night. 

AUGUST  21,  1824. 

Orders  having  been  issued  on  the  20th  inst.  by  the  major  com- 
mandant of  the  Guards  to  pay  a  tribute  of  respect  to  that  distin- 
guished benefactor  of  the  American  Republic,  LAFAYETTE,  the 
Guards  mustered  to  the  number  of  fifty. 

The  General  arrived  in  the  city  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  was  hailed  with  joy  by  as  large  a  concourse  of  people  as 
was  ever  assembled  in  this  city. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

1.  Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr.,  the  second  commandant  of  the  corps, 
kept  a  crockery  store  in  State  street,  on  ground  now  occupied  by 
the  stone   house  of  H.   Mullbrd,  Esq.,  next  to  corner  of  Chapel 
street;  afterwards' removed  to  Providence,  where  he  died. 

2.  Samuel  Greenough  lived  in  the  Herrick  house,  where  Divin- 
ity College  now  stands ;  afterwards  removed  to  Boston. 

3.  Elias  Stillwell,  school  master,  lived  in  house  where  Booth  & 
Bromham's  store  stands. 

4.  Thaddeus  Beecher,  grocer  merchant,  etc.,  store  on  the  corner 
of  Church  and  Chapel  streets,  where   Exchange  Building   now 
stands. 


100 

5.  John  Townseud,  trader,  lived  corner  of  College  and  Elm 
streets,  house  still  standing  opposite  the  Methodist  Church. 

6.  Ezra  Ford,  on  opposite  corner,   house  yet  standing  ;    kept 
tavern  there  for  a  time. 

7.  Nathan  Beers,  Jr.,  only  survivor  of  the  company,  94  years 
of  age,  became  a  captain,  etc.,   in  the  Revolutionary  army ;  lives 
in  Elm  street,  a  few  doors  above  College  street. 

The  information  in  these  brief  notes  was  obtained  in  part  from 
him,  July  14th,  1846,  by  a  gentleman,*  who,  when  he  called  upon 
him,  found  him  in  his  garden,  tying  up  his  shrubbery,  and  appar- 
ently yet  in  good  health,  and  bearing  the  infirmities  of  age  won- 
derfully well,  for  one  of  his  years.  He  says :  "  To  talk  face  to 
face  with  so  venerable  a  man,  and  he  a  busy  and  somewhat  dis- 
tinguished actor  in  the  scenes  of  the  Revolution,  and  feeling  that 
he  stood  almost  alone  (and  quite  alone  so  far  as  his  old  military 
company  was  concerned),  between  the  living  and  the  dead,  was 
indeed  a  privilege.  He  stated  a  fact  in  regard  to  Major  Andre's 
execution,  which  he  witnessed,  that  we  do  not  remember  to  have 
heard  before,  or  if  heard,  we  had  forgotten.  He  stated  that 
Major  Andre  was  dressed  in  his  full  uniform,  except  his  sword, 
and  that  Washington  allowed  him  to  walk  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, unbound,  between  two  officers.  He  took  the  arm  of  each, 
and  as  he  passed  along  and  caught  the  eye  of  any  officer  with 
whom  he  was  acquainted,  he  bowed  slightly,  and  gave  to  each  a 
pleasant  smile  of  recognition. 

"  Deacon  Beers,  we  believe,  served  through  the  war  of  the 
Revolution,  and  came  out  with  a  captain's  commission.  He  was 
also  a  paymaster  in  the  army.  He  is  an  excellent  specimen  of 
some  of  the  best  of  the  Revolutionary  worthies." 

8.  Nathaniel  Fitch,  the  fifth  commandant  of  the  corps,  a  select- 
man in   1794,  lived  in   College  street,  house  yet  standing,  next 
south  of  the  new  house  of  Ransom  Burritt,  Esq. 

9.  James  Warren,  particulars  not  known. 

10.  Nathan   Oaks,     chair  maker,   lived   on   George    St.,    near 
Meadow,  nearly  opposite  the  stone  house. 

11.  Daniel  Ingalls.  particulars  not  known. 

12.  Jonas    Prentice,  afterwards  a  Colonel,  lived  in  the  wood 
house  opposite  Assembly  House ;  well  remembered  by  the  present 
generation. 

13.  Francis  Sage,  particulars  not  known. 

*  The  editor  of  the  Palladium. 


:XK\V  I1AVI-:X   aiirt  \\t  VIC  IX IT  Y 


0  /;  T  n 


Dr.wn  ,?:  r.»!rr»T«-tl  i  "In-  -T.U'.Harber 


r  o 

.  fft?  tfu 


it  Mffl-Tiase  §o  of  ISfowHawen  Ccnio 

"  ,  East  .t-ll«v>t  EcA-j.-XetirHaven,  seeriinthf  distance. 


101 

14.  Archibald    Austin,    merchant    and    mechanic,    lived    in 
Crown  st.,  north  side,  second  house  east  from  Orange  ;  house  now 
standing. 

15.  Eliakim    Hitchcock,    silver   smith,    lived    in    Union    near 
Fair  street. 

16.  James  Hugging,  particulars  not  known. 

17.  Parsons   Clarke,  saddler,  from  Colchester,  store  in  Chapel 
st.   where   Mitchell's  building   now  stands ;    lived  in  Union   st. 
second  house  south  from  the  new  city  market ;  house  now  stand- 
ing. 

18.  James  Prescott,  died    recently,  a  merchant,  lived  corner 
of  Chapel  and  High  sts. ;  house  standing. 

19.  Hanover  Barney,   the    eighth    commandant    of    the    com- 
pany, saddler,  ship  owner,  etc.,  died  a  few  years  since  ;  father  of 
the  lady  of  Dr.   Beers. 

20.  Stephen  Herrick,  joiner,  lived  in  Crown  St.,  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  Orange  and  Crown ;  house  yet  standing,  and  occu- 
pied by  James  S.  Arnold,  grocer. 

21.  Jonathan    Austin,    joiner,    lived    on    opposite    corner    of 
Orange  and  Crown  sts.  ;  house  standing. 

22.  David  Burbank,  not  known. 

23.  Daniel    Bishop,   firm    of    Bishop     &    Hotchkiss,   kept    an 
extensive  hat  store  in  Chapel  st.  where  the  New  Haven  Bank 
now  stands ;  the  pump  near  the  bank  formerly  their  well.     He 
lived  in  State  st.  next  the  brick  house  of  the  late  Stephen  Bishop, 
Esq. 

24.  Elijah   Austin,  brother  of  Archibald   Austin  above  named, 
store  on  the   wharf;  concerned  in  navigation,  etc.;  lived  in  the 
house  now  occupied  by  E.  A.  Prescott,  Esq.,  in  Whiting  st. 

25.  Amos   Morrison,  barber,  rather  eccentric  person,  lived  on 
the  corner  of  State  and  Grand  sts.,  opposite  A.  &  F.  Lines. 

26.  Rossiter  Griffing,  grocer,  lived  in  State  St.,  about  where 
James  T.  Mix's  hardware  store  now  stands. 

27.  Gold  Sherman,  tailor,  in  rather  extensive  business. 

28.  Wm.   Noyes,  leather  dresser,  business  in  George  st.  south 
side  near  College  st. 

29.  Abraham    Tuttle,  shoemaker,   lived    in    Fleet  St.,   on   the 
north  corner  of  Prout  St.,  shop  in  Fleet  st.  just  below  the  pump, 
and  in  front  of  the  premises  now  occupied  by  Charles  B.  Whit- 
tlesey,  Esq. ;  the  street  was  upon  either  side  of  it. 

14 


102 

30.  Jabez  Smith,  not  certain  ;  believes  he  kept  the  Ogden  Tav- 
ern, where  Tontine  now  stands. 

31.  Jonathan  Mix,  Jr.,  variety  store,  where  New  Haven  County 
Bank  stands  ;  lived  in  Elm  st.,  house  now  occupied  by  Dr.  N.  B. 
Ives ;  afterward  removed  to  New  York  where  he  died. 

32.  Jeremiah  Parmele,  lived  in  Chapel  st.,  house  now    occu- 
pied  by  Benjamin    Beecher,  Esq.,   which  he  b'uilt.     He  served  in 
the   war  of  the  Revolution  ;  was  in  the  battle  of  Brandywine, 
where  he  was  wounded,  and  while  suffering  from  the  effects  was 
attacked  with  the  small  pox,  from  which  he  died.     The   ball   by 
which   he  received  his  wound,  is  yet  in  the  possession  of    his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Beecher. 

33.  Joshua  Newhall,  shoemaker,  lived  in  High  st.     When  the 
British,  in  the  Revolution,  landed  at  West  Haven,  Mr.  N.  touched 
the  train   by  which  the  West  Bridge  was  blown  up,  thereby  pre- 
venting the  enemy  entering  the  city  from  that  quarter,  and  com- 
pelling them  to  march  up  the  west  side  of  the  river,  as  far  as 
Westville,   and  enter  the  city  by  Broadway.     His  shop  was  in 
Chapel  st.  near  the  present  residence  of  Nathaniel  A.  Bacon,  Esq. 

34.  Josiah  Burr,    merchant,    lived    corner  of  Broadway   and 
York  sts.  ;  lot  now  occupied  by  store  of  George  D.  English. 

35.  William  Lyon,  cashier  of  New  Haven  Bank,  an  enthusiastic 
antiquarian,  etc.,  lived  in   Chapel  st.  opposite  Central  Row,  in  a 
wood  house,   yet  standing,  and  occupied  by  Miss  Ford,  milliner. 
At  the  time  of  his  election  as  Colonel  of  the  infantry  regiment, 
he   was  unacquainted  with  horsemanship,  but  to  prepare  himself 
for  the  duties  of  that  office,  would  take  his  horse  into  the  yard,  in 
order  to  be  unobserved,  and  there  practice  riding. 

36.  Eleazer   Oswald,  an  accomplished   foreigner   and    strong 
friend  of  liberty  ;  man  of  leisure. 

37.  Benoni  Shipman,  a  mechanic. 

38.  Hezekiah  Bailey,  a  seaman. 

39.  Jesse  Leavenworth,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  corps,  trader, 
lived  in  College  St.,  second  house  south  from  Crown  st.  ;  after- 
ward removed  to  Waterbury. 

40.  Timothy  Jones,  Jr.  ;  an  acting  Justice  of  the  Peace,  etc.  ; 
lived  in   State  st,,  house  kept  as  a  boarding  school,  north  of  the 
residence  of  the  late  William  McCrackan,  Esq. 

41.  John  Thomas,  particulars  not  known. 

42.  Elisha  Painter,  supposed  to  have  belonged  to  West  Haven. 

43.  Benedict  Arnold,  druggist,  sea  captain,  etc.,  well  known  to 


103 

the  world  as  "  the  Traitor  Arnold"  ;  lived  in  a  large  white  house 
now  standing  in  Water  st.,  and  occupied  by  the  family  of  the 
late  Captain  James  Hunt;  same  house  was  once  occupied  by  the 
late  Dr.  Noah  Webster. 

A  celebrated  historian,  in  speaking  of  Arnold,  says  he  was  "  a 
man  even  more  rash  than  audacious,  of  a  genus  fertile  in  resources, 
and  of  a  firmness  not  to  be  shaken."  Immediately  upon  the 
breaking  out  of  hostilities  between  the  Americans  and  British, 
and  the  formation  of  the  siege  of  Boston,  Arnold,  with  a  com- 
pany of  fiity  men,  repaired  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  soon  after 
received  the  appointment  of  Colonel.  Possessed  by  nature  of  an 
extraordinary  force  of  genius,  a  restless  character,  and  an  intre- 
pidity bordering  on  prodigy,  this  officer  had,  about  this  time,  con- 
ceived the  plan  of  taking  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  and 
thus  secure  to  the  Americans  this  important  pass  to  the  Canadas. 
To  this  end  he  had  consulted  with  the  committee  of  safety  of 
Massachusetts,  who  had  appointed  him  colonel,  with  authority  to 
levy  troops  for  the  above  purpose.  His  surprise  was  extreme, 
when  upon  arriving  at  Castleton,  the  point  of  rendezvous,  he 
found  himself  anticipated  by  Cols.  Allen  and  Eaton,  so  rapid  and 
yet  silent  had  been  their  enterprise  for  the  same  end.  But  he 
was  a  man  not  to  be  baffled  by  trifles,  and  as  nothing  could 
delight  him  more  than  the  occasion  for  combat,  he  concerted  with 
the  other  leaders,  and  consented,  however  hard  he  must  have 
thought  the  sacrifice,  to  put  himself  under  the  command  of  Col. 
Allen.  After  taking  these  important  fortresses,  their  plan  would 
not  have  been  completely  accomplished,  except  they  secured  to 
themselves  the  exclusive  control  ol'  the  lake,  which  they  could  not 
hope  to  obtain  without  seizing  a  corvette  of  war,  which  the  Eng- 
lish kept  at  anchor  near  fort  St.  John.  They  therefore  fitted  out 
a  schooner,  the  command  of  which  was  given  to  Arnold.  So 
well  did  he  perform  the  duty  intrusted  to  him,  that  he  took  the 
corvette  without  the  least  resistance,  and  in  a  few  hours  returned 
sound  and  safe  to  Ticonderoga.  After  having  taken  the  fortress 
and  garrison  at  Sckeensborough,  Allen  put  sufficient  garrisons 
into  all  of  the  conquered  fortresses,  deputed  Arnold  to  command 
them  in  cjiief,  and  returned  to  Connecticut. 

Washington,  in  his  camp  near  Boston,  had  conceived  an  enter- 
prise as  surprising  for  its  novelty,  as  terrific  for  the  obstacles  and 
dangers  which  it  presented  in  the  execution,  but  if  it  was  hazard- 
ous, it  was  no  less  useful. 


104 

The  plan  was  an  attack  upon  Quebec,  through  the  upper  parts 
of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire.  The  command  of  this  adventur- 
ous enterprise  was  confided  to  Col.  Arnold.  The  force  selected 
to  follow  him  was  ten  companies  of  fusileers,  three  of  riflemen, 
and  one  of  artillery,  under  the  orders  of  Capt.  Lamb.  A  few 
volunteers  joined  them,  among  whom  was  Col.  Aaron  Burr,  who 
afterwards  became  Vice  President  of  the  United  States.  The 
State  of  Maine  is  traversed  by  a  river  called  the  Kennebec, 
which  takes  its  source  among  the  mountains  that  separate  this 
State  from  Canada,  and  running  north  and  south,  falls  into  the 
sea,  not  far  from  Casco  Bay.  Opposite  the  sources  of  the  Kenne- 
bec on  the  other  side  of  the  mountains,  rises  another  river,  named 
the  Chaudiere  which  empties  itself  in  the  St.  Lawrence  a  little 
above  Quebec.  In  going  from  one  of  these  sources  to  the  other 
it  is  necessary  to  pass  steep  mountains,  interspersed  by  frequent 
torrents  and  marshes.  No  living  being  was  to  be  found  at  that 
time  in  all  this  space.  Such  was  the  route  Col.  Arnold  was  to 
take  in  order  to  arrive  at  Quebec.  He  took  his  departure  from 
the  camp  of  Boston  about  the  middle  of  September,  1775,  but 
six  months  after  his  election  as  Captain  of  the  Guards. 

In  the  assault  upon  Quebec,  which  followed,  Arnold  received  a 
musket  ball  in  the  leg  which  wounded  him  severely,  splintering 
the  bone,  and  from  which  he  suffered  much  during  the  winter. 
Shortly  after,  early  in  1776,  he  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  Briga- 
dier-General. After  the  retreat  of  the  Americans  from  Canada 
and  the  capture  of  New  York  by  the  British  who  overran  New 
Jersey,  the  situation  of  Philadelphia  became  somewhat  critical, 
and  the  Congress  in  order  to  preserve  it  in  the  power  of  the 
United  States,  ordained  the  formation  of  a  camp  upon  the  west- 
ern bank  of  the  Delaware,  with  the  double  object  of  receiving  all 
the  troops  that  arrived  from  the  south  and  west,  and  of  serving, 
in  case  of  need,  as  a  reserve.  Here  also  were  to  assemble  all  the 
recruits  of  Pennsylvania,  reinforced  by  several  regiments  of  regu- 
lar troops.  This  army  was  placed  under  the  command  of  General 
Arnold,  who  was  then  at  Philadelphia. 

In  the  spring  of  1777,  Arnold,  who  happened  to  be  in  the 
vicinity,  engaged  in  the  business  of  recruiting  for  the  army  had 
an  engagement  with  a  detachment  of  British,  under  Tryon,  at 
Ridgefield  in  this  State,  who  were  out  destroying  stores  and  pro- 
visions, which  the  Americans  had  gathered  during  the  winter  at 
Danbury  and  other  places.  The  Congress  testified  their  satisf'ac- 


105 

tion  towards  Arnold  by  the  gift  of  a  horse,  richly  caparisoned. 
These  events  transpired  in  the  early  part  of  1777,  about  the  time 
of  Arnold's  visit  to  this  city,  where  he  was  received  and  escorted 
to  his  quarters  by  the  guards,  and  at  the  same  time  resigned  the 
office  of  captain  of  the  company. 

Arnold  was  the  commander  in  the  first  naval  engagement 
between  the  Americans  and  British,  in  which  the  fleets  of  the  two 
nations  were  engaged.  This  action  was  fought  upon  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  in  the  summer  oJf  1776  ;  the  American  forces  consisting  of 
fifteen  vessels,  viz  :  two  brigs,  one  corvette,  one  sloop,  three  gal- 
leys and  eight  gondolas.  The  largest  vessels  mounted  only 
twelve,  six,  and  four  pounders.  Though  Arnold  had  been  unsuc- 
cessful on  this  occasion,  the  disparity  of  strength  duly  considered, 
he  lost  no  reputation,  but  rose  on  the  contrary,  in  the  estimation 
of  his  countrymen.  He  had,  in  their  opinion  acquitted  himself 
with  no  less  ability  in  this  naval  encounter,  than  he  had  done  on 
land  before. 

At  the  battle  of  Bemis'  Height,  immediately  preceding  the  sur- 
render of  Burgoyne,  Arnold  received  a  severe  wound  in  the  same 
leg  which  had  been  already  shattered  at  Quebec,  while  leading  on 
an  attack  against  a  part  of  the  intrenchments  occupied  by  the 
light  infantry,  under  Lord  Balcarres.  This  day  he  appeared  per- 
fectly intoxicated  with  the  thirst  of  battle  and  carnage.  Numer- 
ous wounds,  and  especially  those  which  had  almost  deprived  him 
ot  the  use  of  one  leg,  had  forced  him  to  take  repose  at  his  seat  in 
the  country.  The  Congress,  with  the  concurrence  of  Washing- 
ton, in  recompense  for  his  services,  appointed  him  commandant  of 
Philadelphia,  immediately  after  that  city  was  evacuated  by  the 
British  and  was  repossessed  by  the  Americans. 

In  1780,  while  the  season  had  caused  the  suspension  of  hostil- 
ities in  the  two  Carolinas,  and  while  in  the  State  of  New  York 
the  superiority  of  the  Americans  by  land  and  the  British  by  the 
sea,  had  caused  a  similar  cessation  of  arms,  an  unexpected  event 
arrested  general  attention.  But  a  moment  more,  and  the  work  of 
so  many  years,  cemented  at  the  cost  of  so  much  gold  and  blood, 
might  have  been  demolished  ;  the  army  of  Washington,  and  per- 
haps the  independence  of  America,  involved  in  total  ruin  ;  and 
the  English  arrived  at  the  object,  which,  with  five  years  of  in- 
trigues and  of  combats,  they  had  not  been  able  to  attain  ;  and  it 
was  at  the  hands  of  one  they  least  suspected  that  the  Americans 
were  to  receive  this  fatal  blow.  The  name  of  Arnold  was  deserv- 


106 

edly  dear  to  all  Americans,  for  he  was  one  of  their  most  intrepid 
defenders.  If  fortune  does  not  always  favor  the  brave,  neither  do 
the  brave  always  to  know  how  to  use  fortune. 

Arnold  established  himself  in  the  house  of  Penn,  at  Philadel- 
phia, and  lived  in  a  style  sumptuous  in  the  extreme,  and  to  sup- 
port which  his  own  fortune  and  the  emoluments  of  his  office 
being  far  from  sufficient,  he  betook  himself  to  commerce  and 
privateering.  His  speculations  proved  unfortunate;  his  debts 
accumulated,  and  his  creditors  tormented  him.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances he  conceived  the  shameful  idea  of  reimbursing  him- 
self from  the  public  treasury,  for  all  he  had  squandered  in  riotous 
living.  Accordingly  he  presented  accounts  more  worthy  of  a 
shameless  usurer  than  a  brave  general.  The  government,  aston- 
ished and  indignant,  appointed  commissioners  to  investigate 
them.  They  not  only  refused  to  approve  them,  but  reduced  the 
claims  of  Arnold  one-half.  Enraged  at  their  decision  he  loaded 
them  with  reproaches  and  insults,  and  appealed  from  them  to 
Congress.  Several  of  its  members  were  charged  to  examine 
these  accounts  anew  and  to  make  report.  They  declared  that 
the  commissioners  had  allowed  Arnold  more  than  he  had  any 
right  to  demand.  His  wrath  no  longer  observed  measure ;  the 
Congress  itself  became  the  object  of  the  most  indecent  invective 
that  ever  fell  from  a  man  in  high  station.  But  this  conduct, 
far  from  restoring  tranquility,  produced  quite  a  contrary  effect. 
He  was  accused  of  peculation  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
brought  before  a  court  martial  to  take  his  trial.  Among  the 
charges  laid  against  him  he  was  accused  of  having  converted  to 
his  own  use  the  British  merchandise  he  had  found  and  confiscated 
at  Philadelphia  in  1778.  The  court  sentenced  him  to  be  repri- 
manded by  Washington.  His  pride  could  not  brook  so  public  a 
disgrace.  In  the  blindness  of  his  vengeance,  and  in  the  hope 
that  he  might  still  glut  his  passions  with  British  gold,  since  he 
no  longer  could  with  American,  he  resolved  to  add  perfidity  to 
avidity,  and  treason  to  pillage.  Determined  that  his  country 
should  resume  the  yoke  of  England,  he  developed  his  projects  hi 
a  letter  to  Col.  Robinson,  and  General  Clinton  was  immediately 
made  acquainted  with  them.  In  order  to  carry  them  out  more 
fully  and  with  more  decided  success,  he  pretended  to  have  taken 
an  aversion  to  the  residence  of  Philadelphia,  and  that  he  wished 
to  resume  active  service  in  the  army,  he  requested  and  obtained 
from  Washington,  whose  confidence  he  yet  retained,  the  command 


107 

of  West  Point  and  all  the  American  troops  cantoned  in  that 
quarter.  The  latter  part  of  September,  while  Washington  was 
absent  upon  business  at  Hartford,  was  the  time  hit  upon  for  the 
execution  of  these  designs.  But  they  were  detected.  Washing- 
ton and  his  army  were  yet  safe. 

About  one  month  previous  to  the  discovery  of  his  perfidity,  he 
was  traveling  through  this  State  in  his  coach,  attended  by  one 
servant  only  (which  circumstance  was  noticed  at  the  time),  upon 
business,  as  since  supposed,  connected  with  his  treachery,  and 
took  breakfast  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Amos  Bostwick,  in  New  Mil- 
ford.  Mr.  B.  was  the  father  of  Chas.  Bostwick,  Esq.,  of  this 
city,  who  well  remembers  the  above  circumstance. 

Arnold  was  created  a  brigadier  general  in  the  British  armies, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1Y81  was  dispatched  with  an  army  to  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,  to  discourage  the  Virginians  from  sending  any 
reinforcements  to  General  Green,  and  thereby  aid  Cornwallis  in 
his  design  of  reducing  North  Carolina  and  Virginia.  But  this 
piratical  expedition,  for  it  deserves  no  milder  name,  produced  but 
very  imperfectly  the  effect  which  the  British  generals  had  hoped 
from  it.  It  delayed,  it  is  true,  those  succors  which  the  Virginians 
destined  for  the  Carolinas ;  but  not  one  of  them  joined  Arnold. 
Devastations,  plunder,  conflagrations,  murder,  virtue  despoiled, 
had  no  such  fascinations  as  could  gain  him  partisans. 

When  Cornwallis  became  confined  to  Yorktown,  by  an  army 
of  twenty  thousand  men,  and  a  fleet  of  near  thirty  sail  of  the 
line,  and  a  multitude  of  lighter  vessels,  which  a  concurrence  of 
well  concerted  operations  and  of  circumstances,  most  auspicious 
to  his  adversaries,  had  drawn  around  him,  General  Clinton 
adopted  every  expedient  to  extricate  him  from  his  perilous  sit- 
uation, and  in  consequence  had  meditated  a  diversion  into  Con- 
necticut, hoping  thereby  to  draw  thither  a  part  of  the  American 
forces  which  were  besieging  Yorktown.  The  object  was  to  seize 
New  London,  and  the  command  was  given  to  Arnold,  who  had 
just  returned  to  New  York  from  his  inroad  into  Virginia.  But 
this  movement  had  no  effect  upon  Washington,  who,  instead  of 
sending  troops  to  Connecticut,  drew  them  all  into  Virginia. 
Arnold  took  New  London,  massacred  alike  those  of  the  inhabi- 
tants who  resisted  and  those  who  surrendered,  laid  the  place  in 
ashes,  and  retreated,  marking  his  steps  with  most  horrible  devas- 
tations. 

Subsequent  to  the  termination  of  the  war,  and  after  the  perpe- 


108 

tration  of  various  atrocities  against  his  countrymen,  Arnold  went 
to  England,  and  received  a  commission  in  the  British  army.  He 
was  frowned  upon  by  the  officers,  and  everywhere  received  with 
contempt,  if  not  indignation.  Various  public  insults  were  offered 
him,  and  in  private  life  he  was  the  object  of  perpetual  scorn. 

Soon  after  Arnold  threw  up  his  commission  in  the  army  in 
disgust,  and  removed  to  St.  Johns.  He  there  engaged  in  the 
West  India  trade,  becoming  as  notorious  for  his  depravity  in 
business  as  he  had  been  before  false  to  his  country.  His  integ- 
rity was  suspected  at  various  times,  and  on  one  occasion  during 
his  sudden  absence,  his  store  was  consumed,  upon  which  an  enor- 
mous insurance  had  been  effected.  The  company  suspected  foul 
play,  and  a  legal  contest  was  the  result.  During  the  trial,  popu- 
lar odium  against  Arnold  increased  and  manifested  itself  by  a 
succession  of  mobs,  and  burning  of  him  in  effigy. 

The  pi'oof  was  not  enough  to  condemn  Arnold,  but  there  was 
enough  detected  of  foul  play  to  vitiate  his  policy.  From  that 
time  the  situation  of  Arnold,  at  St.  Johns,  became  even  more 
uncomfortable,  and  that  of  his  family  distressing.  Mrs.  A.  was 
treated  with  great  kindness,  but  he  was  both  shunned  and  des- 
pised. She  was  a  lady  of  great  delicacy  and  refinement,  with  a 
mind  cultivated  by  more  than  ordinary  care,  and,  of  course,  her 
sufferings  were  rendered  acute  by  the  imputations  against  her 
husband's  integrity,  aside  from  his  treason.  They  shortly  left  St. 
Johns  and  went  to  England,  where  Arnold  became  lost  to  the 
public  eye,  and  died  in  degradation  and  obscurity  in  1801. 

Arnold  is  said  to  have  been  agreeable,  but  a  man  of  ungov- 
ernable passions,  and  very  bad  moral  character.  His  first  wife 
was  Margaret  Mansfield,  whom  he  married  in  this  city  ;  she  died 
June  21,  1775.  His  second  wife  was  a  Miss  Shippen,  of  Phila- 
delphia, youngest  daughter  of  Edwai'd  Shippen,  afterwards 
Chief  Justice  of  Pennsylvenia,  whom  he  married  while  a  resident 
of  Philadelphia. 

44.  Hezekiah   Beecher,  one  of  the  youngest  members,  was  an 
uncle   of   Rev.    Dr.    Beecher.    the   celebrated    clergyman.       His 
brother  was  a  blacksmith,  as  was   Hezekiah,  who  lived  on  the 
corner  of  George  and  College  streets. 

45.  Amos  Gilbert,  farmer,  lived  in  George  street,  on  the  low 
lot  now  occupied  by  leather  store  of  J.  Gilbert  &  Sons,  who  are 
another  family.     The  west  part  of  the  store  was  his  house. 

46.  Seabury  Champliu,  particulars  not  known. 


109 

47.  James  Hillhouse,  a  name  dear  to  New  Haven,  was  the 
third  captain  of  the  company,  a  United  States  Senator,  &c. 

48.  William  Larman,  particulars  not  known. 

49.  Caleb  Trowbridge,  sea  captain,  etc.,  lived  in  Water  street, 
at  the  corner  of  Meadow,  where  the  house  of  Henry  Trowbridge, 
Jr.,  now  stands.     He  aided  Arnold  in   raising  a  volunteer  com- 
pany, with  which  they  repaired  to  the  American  camp  near  Bos- 
ton, and  of  which  Mr.  T.  was  a  lieutenant.    Soon  after  he  received 
a  captain's  commission,   returned  to  New  Haven,  and  in  a  few 
days  raised  a  fine  company  of  volunteers  with  which  he  repaired 
to  New  York.     Prior  to  their  departure  they  employed  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Fitzgerald  to  teach  them  the  manual  exercise,  etc., 
met  for  that  purpose  in  Mr.  Trowbridge's  house,  and  his  parlor 
was  for  a  time  changed  into  a  drill  room.     He  was  at  the  battle 
of    Brooklyn,   where  he  and  most  of   his  company  were  taken 
prisoners.     He  was  a  prisoner  near  two  years,  a  part  of  the  time 
upon  Long  Island,  and  the  remainder  in  the  old  Sugur  House  in 
Liberty  street,  which  was  removed  but  a  few  years  since.     It  was 
his  unwillingness  to  yield  to  the  wishes  of  his  captors  that  caused 
him  to  be  detained  so  long  a  prisoner,  as  an  officer  of  equal  rank 
was  frequently  offered  in   exchange,  but  the  British  demanded 
that  he  should  not  again  take  up  arms  against  them,  a  consid- 
eration he  would  not   agree  to  ;  on   the  contrary,  he  told  them 
that  as  soon  as  he  should  get  his   liberty  he  "  would   be  at  them 
again."     His  imprisonment  was  much  easier  than  it  would  have 
been,  had  not  his  wife  sold  her  plate,  and  found  means  to  forward 
him  money  to  Long  Island,  with  which  he  purchased  many  priv- 
ileges denied  to  other  prisoners. 

Upon  his  release  he  returned  to  New  Haven,  and  after  waiting 
some  time  for  a  major's  commission  which  had  been  promised 
him,  he  became  impatient,  repaired  to  Boston,  and  taking  out 
letters  of  marque,  commenced  the  warrior's  life  upon  the  sea. 
After  remaining  in  this  calling  a  while,  he  again  returned  to  New 
Haven, 

A  company  of  citizens  had  fitted  out  a  vessel  for  the  West 
Indies,  which  was  upon  the  point  of  sailing  when  the  British 
cruisers  made  their  appearance.  The  vessel  was  taken  above  the 
bridge  and  shot  fired  at  her  in  order  to  sink  her,  and  thereby  save 
her  from  the  enemy,  when  by  some  accident  she  took  fire  and 
was  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  The  hull  was  soon  after  raised, 
built  into  a  brig,  fitted  out  for  a  trading  voyage  to  Holland,  and 
15 


110 

Mr.  Trowbridge  put  in  command.  She  was  very  well  armed,  and 
took  several  prizes.  She  made  two  voyages  to  Amsterdam 
the  most  exciting  period  of  the  war,  when  the  ocean  was  covered 
with  British  cruisers  in  search  of  French,  Spanish,  Dutch  and 
American  vessels.  The  name  of  this  little  vessel  was  the  Fire- 
Brand,  from  the  circumstance  of  her  having  been  built  from  a 
burnt  hull. 

Before  the  war  Arnold    and  Trowbridge    had  some  account 
together,  the  settlement  of  which  led  to  a  dispute.     They  parted, 

Arnold   saying,    "  You   meet    me    to-morrow    morning    at    

o'clock,"  naming  the  hour,  "  and  we  will  settle  it."  Trowbridge 
supposed  him  to  be  joking  and  thought  no  more  of  it.  Early 
next  morning  he  was  called  from  his  bed  by  two  gentlemen,  who 
requested  to  see  him  on  particular  business,  and  when  informed 
that  Arnold  had  repaired  to  the  spot  designated  by  him  the  day 
previous,  he  was  much  surprised,  but  expressed  his  determination 
to  meet  him,  nor  were  entreaties  to  dissuade  him  from  it  of  any 
avail.  Upon  repairing  to  the  swamp  just  west  of  the  pi'esent 
residence  of  Dr.  Totteu,  he  found  Arnold  waiting  for  him.  He 
advanced  towards  him  when  Arnold  drew  two  pistols,  and  told 
Trowbridge  to  choose  one  of  them.  He  was  much  surprised, 
but  not  frightened,  and  without  giving  Arnold  time  to  guard 
himself,  rushed  upon  and  wrenched  both  pistols  from  him,  threw 
them  both  into  the  creek,  and  told  Arnold  to  go  home,  a  bidding 
which  he  was  not  long  in  performing. 

50.  Pierpont  Edwards,  a  distinguished   lawyer,  lived  in   Elm 
street,  in  house  now  occupied  by  Rev.  Mr.  Brewster's  school ;  his 
office  was  in  Elm   street,  near  his  residence,  but  was  afterwards 
removed  to  the  corner  of  Court  and  Orange  streets,  where  it  now 
stands.     He  became  United  States  District  Judge,  and  removed 
to  Stratford,  where  he  died. 

51.  Kiersted  Mansfield,  mason,  lived  in  Church  street  opposite 
Judge  Baldwin. 

52.  Elias  Townsend,  joiner,  lived  in  Meadow  street,  east  side, 
first  house  south  from  Whiting  street. 

53.  Hezekiah  Augur,  joiner,  lived  upper  part  of  Broadway,  at 
junction  of  Whaley  and  Goffe  avenues,  in  the  large  house  recently 
removed  into  Samaritan,  above   Howe  street,  was  the  father  of 
Hezekiah  Augur,  the  sculptor. 

54.  Joseph  Peck,  formerly  jailor ;  jail  then  kept  in   present 
college  yard,  was  the  father  of  the  late  Bela  T.  Peck,  recently  a 
major  of  the  corps. 


Ill 


55.  Wm.   Jones,  school  teacher,  lived  in   State   street  nearly 
opposite  the  residence  of  the  late  William  McCrackan,  Esq. 

56.  Ebenazer  Huggins,  a  wealthy  merchant,  lived  in  Crown 
street,  house  now  standing  nearly  opposite  the  residence  of  Joel 
Root,  Esq. ;  store  was  in  Chapel  street,  where  the  store  of  Messrs. 
Sanford  &  Allen  now  stands.     He  was  the  father  of  Henry  Hug- 
gins,  Esq. 

57.  Aner  Bradley,  aftei-ward  a  militia  colonel  in  Watertown, 
and  a  town  clerk  there  for  many  years. 

58.  Amos  Doolittle,  engraver  of  many  historical  prints  of  Rev- 
olutionary scenes,  well  remembered  by  many  of    our  citizens ; 
lived  in  College  street,  house  next  north  of  the  livery  stable  of 
Abiud  Tuttle. 


LIST    OF    MAJOR   COMMANDANTS,   WITH    THE    DATES    OF    THEIR 

ELECTION. 


Luther  Bradley, - .  Oct.  24,  1810 

Timothy  Bishop, May  22,  1815 

Ezekiel  Hotchkiss, Oct.  23,  1817 

Bela  T.  Peck,  May  21,  1821 

Chas.  B.  Grannis, May  27,  1823 

Wm.  "W.  Boardman, May  18,  1826 

Leverett  Candee, Sept.  11,  1828 


Jas.  E.  Hotchkiss, .May  12,  1830 

John  Merriman, May  7,  1832 

Lucius  K.  Dowd, May  27,  1834 

Allen  X.  Smith, May  9,  1836 

Gardner  Morse, -May  22,  1839 

Benj.  M.  Prescott, Mar.  2,  1844 

Present  Major. 


LIST  OF  CAPTAINS  BEFORE  THE  APPOINTMENT  OF  MAJOR. 


Benedict  Arnold, Mar.  16,  1775 

Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr., May  8,  1777 

James  Hillhouse, May  3,  1779 

Daniel  Bishop,... ...Oct.  3,  1783 

Nathaniel  Fitch, Oct.  30,  1786 


William  Lyon,  -.. Oct.  23,  1788 

Dyer  White, Oct.  18,  1 793 

Hanover  Barney, Oct.  14,  1796 

James  Merriman, -May  5,  1800 

Jeremiah  Atwater, Oct.  31,  1805 


LIST   OF    FIRST  LIEUTENANTS,  WHO  RANK  AS  BREVET  CAPTAIN. 


Henry  Eld Oct.  24,  1810 

Timothy  Bishop, Nov.  1,  1813 

Jared  Doolittle, May  22,  1815 

Ezekiel  Hotchkiss, Sept.,  1816 

Wm.  B.  Wallace, Oct.  23,  1817 

Wm.  C.  Atwater, Oct.  21,  1819 

Joel  Mattoon Sept.  15,  1820 

Chas.  B.  Grannis, May  6,  1822 

Wm.  W.  Boardman, May  27.  1823 

Leverett  Candee May  18.  1 826 


James  E.  Hotchkiss, Sept.  18,  1828 

Jno.  Merriman, May,  18,  1830 

Matthew  H.  Read, ..May  7,  1832 

Wm.  B.  Peck, May  13,  1835 

Noble  Catlin, -May  19,  1836 

Silas  Pardee,-.. May  22,  1839 

Joshua  Miller, 1840 

Elias  S.  Main. 1842 

John  M.  Hendrick, Aug.  28,  1845 

Russell  W.  Norton,... Dec.,  1845 


112 


LIST  OF  LIEUTENANTS. 


Jesse  Leavenworth, Mar.  16,  1775 

James  Hillhouse, May  8,  1777 

Major  Lines May  3,  1779 

Nathaniel  Fitch, Oct.  23,  1783 

Wm.  Lyon, Oct.  30,  1786 

Jacob  Daggett, Oct.  28,  1788 

Dyer  White, Oct.  18,  1 793 

Hanover  Barney. May  15,  1795 

James  Merriman. Oct.  24,  1  96 

Jer.  Attwater,  3d., May  4,  1801 

Timothy  Chittenden, Oct.  31,  1805 

Luther  Bradley May  19,  1808 

Timothy  Bishop, Oct.  24,  1810 

Eleazer  Foster, ...Oct.  24,  1810 

Jared  Doolittle, Nov.  1,  1813 

Timothy  Plant, Nov.  1,  1813 

Hezekiah  Hotchkiss, May  22,  1815 

Ezekiel  Hotchkiss, May  22,  1815 

Wm.  B.  Wallace. ...Sept.,  1816 

Wm.  0.  Atwater, Oct.  23,  1817 

Daniel  Brown,  2d., Oct.  21,  1819 

Silas  Ford, Oct.  21,  18)9 

Joel  Mattoon, May  26,  1820 

Bela  T.  Peck, Sept.  15,  1820 

Charles  B.  Grannis, May  21.  1821 


James  Augur, May  6,  1822 

\\*m.  W.  Boardman, Aug.  7,  1822 

Eli  W.  Blake, ...May  27,  182S 

Elisha  Dickerman,  Jr.,..  .May  22.  1823 

Rodney  Burton, May  27,  1823 

James  E.  Hotchkiss, May  18,  1826 

Samuel  H.  Drake,  _ Septv  1 828 

Jno.  Merriman,... May  19,  1829 

Andrew  Benton, May,  1 830 

Matthew  H.  Read May,  1 830 

Lucius  K.  Dow, May  7,  1 832 

Everard  Benjamin, May  7 ,  1832 

Edwin  J.  Peck .May  7,  1832 

Wm.  B.  Beck, May  27,  1834 

Noble  Catlin, May  13,  1835 

Elisha  M.  Gorham, May  19,  1836 

Joshua  Miller ..May  22,  1839 

Edward  McNeil, May  22,  1839 

Ellas  S.  Main, May,  1840 

Frederick  Dodd,... -.May,  1840 

Geo.  A.  Smith, May,  1842 

Jno.  M.  Hendrick, May,  1842 

Russell  W.  Norton, Aug.  28,  1845 

Elihu  Myers, Dec.,  1845 

Walter  Stickney, Dec.,  1845 


LIST  OF  ENSIGNS. 


Hezekiah  Sabin,  Jr., Mar.  16,  1775 

Major  Lines May  8,  1777 

Daniel  Bishop, May  3,  1779 

Wm.  Lyon, Oct.  23,  1783 

Jacob  Daggett, Oct.  30,  1786 

Elihu  Lyman, Oct.  28,  1788 

James  Merriman. May  15, 1795 

David  Btmce,-- Oct.  24,  1796 

Jeremiah  Atwater,  3d.,-. .Oct.  29,  1799 

Timothy  Chittenden, May  4,  1801 

Luther  Bradley, Oct.  31,1805 

Henry  Eld, May  19.  1808 

Timothy  Plant, .Oct.  24,  1810 

Horace  Beach, Nov.  1,  1813 

Wm.  B.  Wallace, Nov.  4,  1814 

Wm.  C.  Atwater, May  22,  1815 

Daniel  Brown,  2d., Sept.,  1816 

Joel  Mattoon. ...   Oct.  23,  1817 


Chauncey  Bradley Oct.  21,  1819 

Eli  W.  Blake, May  21.  1821 

Klisha  Dickerman,  Jr., May  6,  1822 

Rodney  Burton, .Aug.  7.  1822 

Eli  Dickerman, May  27,1 823 

Leverett  Candee, May  2,  1825 

Joseph  Fairchild, .May  18,  1826 

Andrew  Benton, May  7,  1827 

L.  K.  Dow, May  19,  1829 

Everard  Benjamin, May,  1830 

Wm.  B.  Peck, May  7,  1832 

Noble  Catlin, May  27,  1834 

Elisha  M.  Gorham, May  13,  1835 

Wm.  E.  Waterbury, May  19,  1836 

Vacant,.. 1837 

Nathan  M.  Smith, 1840 

Jas.  M.  Vader, 1841 

Vacant  since .,,  . .  1 842 


NOTE. — The  compiler  cannot  close  this  account  without  thanking  his  friends. 
Horace  Day,  Esq.,  and  Mr.  Jerome  B.  Lucke  (the  latter  author  of  the  very 
interesting  work,  "The  History  of  the  Xew  Haven  Grays,"  who  has  for 
many  years  been  connected  with  the  press  of  this  city,)  for  their  assistance  and 
advice  in  the  arrangement  of  this  hasty  compilation ;  also  other  citizens  of  this 
city  and  surrounding  towns,  for  their  reminiscences  of  this  important  event  in  New 
Haven  history. 


ERRATA. 

Page  2,  for  1878,  read  1879. 

4,  line  6,     '  "saven,"  read  saved. 

'     4,          22,  "  'no,"  read  on. 

1     6,  "     27,  "  'were,"  read  was. 

"     7,  "      6,  "  'p.  M.,"  read  A.  M. 

8,  '        5,  "  'Morrisana,"  read  Morrisania. 

"  17,          24,  "  'proves,"  read  prove. 

"  29,  12,  "  'seaport,"  read  seaports. 

"  3i.  8,  "  'this  powder  mill,"  read  his  powder  mill. 

"  33,  '       12,  "  'attaches,"  read  attaches. 

"  3°.  "       I,  "  'western,"  read  eastern. 

"  60,  12,  "  'wounded,"  read  asleep. 

"  88,  '        2,  "  'has,"  read  hat  was. 

"  no,  "     27,  "  'Rev.  Mr.  Brewster,"  read  Mr.  Reynolds. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


JKL 


18196$ 


URL 


27 


., 


INTERLIBRARY 

JAN  1 3  W* 

Thrw  w*aks  from  date  o* 
—  Non-Renewable 


JAN  2  8  1981 


MAR   »«» 

MAR     2  ' 


Form  L9-32m-8,'58(5876s4)444 


THE   '  '* 

TTNTVEI'  FORNU 


PAMPHLET  BINDER 

Syracuse.  N.   Y. 
Stockton,  ColH. 


3  115800597  2376 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    000795213    8 


